I Fell In Love with the Rain
by tHouGht buBbLes
Summary: ..."when it rains, there is God." SHE said. Then HE heard... That was five years ago... and up until now, he's hearing not only those words, but also his heart, shouting only one name. And that was her... (chap up recently)
1. Prologue

Hi there. What I have here again is a CCS fic, but this time I have concentrated in the pairing/s I love most. Well, this could be a one-shot, unless you want me to pursue another chappie. So please review. Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own CCS and its characters. I would be surely glad if I was… everyone does and… definitely wishes for it. (smiles)

I dedicate this to someone… someone I can't ignore, like Li Syaoran did...

* * *

**I Fell In Love with the Rain**

_Prologue…_

"Hi. Gomen if I came late. Glad I skipped our practice just to see you."

It was a delightful afternoon then, but light breeze starts to undertone. Just a typical day for a six grader…but not for her. She usually celebrates it, though she doesn't know exactly who's that someone is.

"I just can't join _Ottou-san_ and _Onii-chan_ a while ago—I rushed the first class for a long quiz was given." explained twelve-year-old Sakura on a white marble board underneath her, and she was holding a bouquet of fresh white roses.

"And you know what? I was second next to Naoko-san being in the highest! You're my lucky charm…" she slowly sat comfortably on the green grass with dried cherry leaves on it, and placed the flowers she brought along with the red and yellow ones.

"_Happy Birthday…"_ finally she uttered while touching the engraved name of the surface. She can't help but to let herself camber a wide smile.

_Nadeshiko Kinomoto_

"K-Kinomoto-san…"

"Uh, Li-kun? A-Ano… Gomen if I didn't tell you exactly that we're going to be here. Tomoyo-chan can't come along. The choir needs her so badly." Sakura said shyly, scratching her head. She was with Syaoran Li, who was standing next to where she was seated.

"N-No problem to that." Syaoran said with a bit assurance and cheeks reddening.

"Thank you." Sakura glanced at him, giving him her sweetest grin. Still nailed on Sakura's crinkled eyes, Syaoran blushed even more.

"Uh, Kinomoto?"

"Hm?"

"Y-You never told me anything about… a-about your mother."

"Ah… oh yes; I guess I wasn't."

Silence…

It took about a minute when Sakura gained her voice once again.

"_Oka-san_ died when I was three. Ottou-san told me she had an unexplainable illness. In other words, I grew up without her… I don't even know her actually."

"You feel sad of her absence, don't you?" Syaoran managed to ask.

"No. Not really…"

"Y-You don't?"

Sakura gave a light laugh. "My _family_ always filled me with good memories of her. Ottou-san always put her picture in a place where all of us can see. Then Onii-chan would keep on telling me she's just somewhere watching us cope up our daily lives.

"Though she never existed since the day I have lived, no one can change the fact that she's my mother… As if she's never been gone…" Sakura closed her eyes as she hugged her knees close to her and let her chin rested on it.

Withdrawn in the crisp of cold wind next to her words, Syaoran noticed a different Sakura. Seeing her on a brighter side made his heart beat faster and faster. He had nearly known this girl, who shut ears off into ghost stories and open-mindedly on the other hand to almost all aspects of life. He never imagined a Sakura Kinomoto would occupy a big space in his heart.

No way can he tell his growing feelings for her, now that the sky was starting to…

"Man, I never dream after the hot noon it'll be going to be like this. We got to leave now, Kinomoto-san." Syaoran broke off with his thoughts and started to remind Sakura as light drops of rain started to fall down.

"I'll stay…" she said, still in her sitting position. Syaoran looked bewildered.

"I forgot my umbrella at home—"

"Like I have one…"

"C-C'mon. We need to hurry." Syaoran worriedly said as he was about to hold her shoulder when she started to speak again.

"Just let it be. I've always waited for it since the time we arrived."

"A-Are you crazy?! What you'll get in there is flu! Please—"

"Don't you just love the rain, Li-kun?"

Syaoran can't believe on what he had just heard.

"Well? I always do." Sakura gladly said to him. The rain started to soak them both.

"K-Kinomoto—"

"Funny, but I believe the rain would be the perfect description of telling us our _Kami-sama_'s endless presence…"

"…"

"…a-and so with my Oka-san, to me…" feeling the beads of water on her face, Sakura raised her head up in the sky. Syaoran, who was still stunned of what he had seen, gave a conclusion to himself. The feelings he had for this girl was no longer a plain affection. Young love starts to brew in him. And in that, he was determined to somehow let it visible in her eyes alone… all the days of their lives.

"Sakura…" He sputtered out of the blue.

"Hm? H-Hey, Don't get me wrong, haven't you just called me… by my first name?"

"A-Ano… I think… I-I think I was."

Sakura stared at his face for a long time, and then suddenly a wide smile was seen in her lips… her green eyes started to flicker in amusement.

"Would you still want to stay drench here with me?"

"Bet you would ask…"

Smiling back, Syaoran decided to sit beside her, who was still enjoying on heaven's surprise. Cold wind once again wisped the Sakura tree, causing its leaves to fall down. Fascinated on the dawn-like scenario seen on the grave of Sakura's mother, Syaoran left all the thoughts of everything, except the only one beside him, the girl he can't just ignore.

"Oka-san… I'd like you to meet my _friend, Syaoran_…"

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the end, for now. 

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Gomen for the grammars (if there was, i dunno!). I was just tired of doing a lot of stuff. Gladly I still managed to fasten this one in my head despite of my major plates and everything! Whoa! Now it's in your hands whether to continue with this or not. You have the entire break to read! I would be totally glad if you would. Perfectly enough for a Christmas gift. And oh, happy Christmas to all!!

R&R! It will be very appreciated! (winks)


	2. Behind Those Smiles

Hi. Maybe you're wondering. lol. Here's the 2nd fic, with or without your approvals. Come on. Make me happy this Christmas. Enjoy reading! and please... review soon! I need that.

I Fell In Love with the Rain

**Chapter One: Behind Those Smiles

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**

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"_Listen. You are kind and I treat you as a friend… Um, a s-sister… A sister, that's it!"_

_A sister…_

_A sister…_

'_only a sister…'_

"Kinomoto Sakura!"

The cause of class distraction: Sakura was caught staring the emptiness of the sky, thinking of those words she can't forget. For many times she attempted to yell to someone she loved for so long that she loved him, but hell it may seems… this, can't be brought back in return.

"U-Uh… I-I—g-gomen, I j-just—"she said in shame. All eyes were as if accusing her of doing a very bad mistake of the day. Gladly, the bell had just saved her from that embarrassment.

"Enough of this. Next meeting, all you will be given situations on this topic. Class dismissed." And the teacher ended on that.

Many let out a sigh. Others were just timid and bored. Students started moving and packing their school stuffs and planning for tomorrow's new set of activities.

"Ms. Kinomoto? See me in the office." The teacher said as she removed her glasses and looked seriously to Sakura.

Sakura agreed by nodding inaudibly.

As she was ready to flee from the room, warm hands held her tenderly that made her to stop. She faced upon the owner of those hands, and all she can see was a total worried expression.

"S-Something wrong?" her bestfriend asked with all concern. It took about a while when Sakura spoke back.

"Nah, as if you don't know me, Tomoyo-chan."

"Demo—"

"Iie… Don't mind… I can do this!" Sakura confidently said as she tapped both Tomoyo's shoulders. "I insist you go straight to your _homes_. Don't worry. It will be just fine." Ending on that scene, she totally left the room.

"I wonder what's up with Sakura-chan…" Tomoyo mumbled with all curiosity. No one thought that behind Sakura's smiles was a thought that all things from then on wouldn't be as normal as it could be. No one ever thought that Sakura was actually faking all of them…

…except for a pair of eyes who notices Sakura's every single move, every single word, even thought.

"But I do hope she's really fine, ne?"

"…"

"Li-kun?"

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* * *

-

Standing with her bag glued on her shoulders, Sakura remained motionless staring the faculty door for a long time. She felt a heater on her cheeks, plastering the whole face with a happy one. But then again, that happy face started to change into a more serious one.

Her teacher hasn't scolded her, nor gave her a torturing homework. An advice, however made her feel back all the thoughts that nearly broke her off into pieces. Now walking silently, gawking on her foot, she was totally out of her mind. She didn't even hear nor sense somebody who would actually…

_!##Pow!#_!!

…bump accidentally.

"Hnngghh…"

"Oooofff!!! G-Gomen Nasai!!! Iwasn'tlookingI'msostupidI'mveryveryso—" she shrieked in a quick panic, holding her aching head. Too late. The guy ended clasping his breath, removing something from his eyes that might be awfully damaged done by some _hard thing_. Take note: He's a _he_.

When she lifted her head, her eyes widened, for she can't believe seeing this person wearing the same trademark her friend used to wear. _Stupid! Anyone can put on reading glasses, not unless…_

"Oh my… is… is that really you, Kinomoto Sakura?"

Rumbling in disbelief, Sakura let her infamous "H-Hooooooeeeeee!!!!!!!!" echoed the school corridor at once.

"That. That does it."

"HOOOOOOEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!" (even louder)

"_Bonjour…"_

-

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* * *

-

"It's been a while…"

"Iie, _five years_ isn't a while for me." cracked Sakura, smiling in full content.

"Arigato." he referred to the waitress who had just delivered their tea. He let out a laugh. "So… how are you now?" he asked.

Eriol Hiiragizawa. He hasn't change for the least, maybe except his height, his voice and now an even brighter face, not like the ones he was always putting on: …those unpredictable ones. On the other hand, he has still that charm, that every girl way back elementary days swoon on his being gentle and for having a possession of a calm personality.

But for Sakura, she does see Eriol can be worth-calling a prince. But giving them the chance of knowing each other's wants and won't's every single day made her thought he was just an ordinary boy like the rest, with extraordinary behavior, she presumed. He can mischief, lend you a hand, his ears, faint you away with again his charms, or even let your breath out with a crack otherwise.

"Entrance exams given by the Tokyo University will be released by next month—"

Eriol laugh even more, much to her surprise. "I wasn't wrong, Sakura-chan." You're still the same."

"N-Nani?!"

"I was asking if how are you now, not how the examinations will go along…" he said calmly, letting himself emote on the aroma of his drink. "You always tend to amend things, especially if you are concerned."

"I-I… A-Anone, maybe I was just…" Sakura paused, and then starting to feel again the heater on her cheeks. "…just mixing thoughts in my head, Eriol-kun."

"You do? Tell me some of it, will you? Better yet, I'd be glad if I'll get to hear them _all_."

"…"

"I missed you… you know…"

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yes... it's to be continued...

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Enjoy the season break! Pls. review! tell me if you like it, you hate it, you're actually bored reading it, or you want me to continue it--whatever!

(sobs) what's hard in clicking on the submit review below and...? man......(sobs even more)


	3. Visiting for a Reason

I Fell In Love with the Rain

**Chapter Two: Visiting for a Reason…**

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- 

"I missed you… you know…"

"And... you looked like so grown-up, now in your long auburn hair. You're pretty, ever since." he continued complementing her.

Sakura's face lightened. "Whoa, Arigato. Demo, Am I the only one who you miss here?" her eyes looked suspicious.

"Aw, of course not! I miss your brother too… yeah!"

"Mushy! Since when?" Sakura said, smirking.

They turned silent. Sakura looked like as if she's looking forward to something… something like words that will come out on Eriol's.

"Fine… I missed her too." Eriol finally gave in as he stared off into the glass window. _I wonder how Tomoyo-san look like now. Maybe she's lovelier than I ever thought it would be…_

"Yay!" said Sakura in delight. "Just as I thought!"

"Hmm… 'miss her… very much…"

"Hoe?"

"Anyway, how's Touya?"

She sipped a little on her tea and replied. "Um, still the usual. Maybe he's still on the job hunt…" she paused; thinking of that _somebody else_ might be with his brother. "…I guess."

"Oh… good for him. Onee-san's asking him, you know."

"Does she? Kaho-dono's with you?" she said before she could blink in happiness.

"Yup. and Nakuru too." Eriol said.

Sakura stopped as her green eyes widened. _I wasn't wrong…_ "So does her… Nakuru-san…" she mumbled.

"I wonder what's her scurrying. What's with November 19, anyway?" Eriol said, contacting Sakura in the eye, looking curious but wasn't.

"I… W-Well? You got to find it out, yourself… N-November 19's two days from now."

"Hmm… 'Don't care that much… Well? I'll just let myself be _surprised_."

"B-By the way, since when did you guys arrive?" she said, hiding her face in the cup.

"We came just about lunch time. I intended not to be seen by anyone… even for you."

"Why, you're so rude! Why though?!"

"Nothing. Bumping with the saddest girl of Tomoeda would be the reason." Eriol said, smiling. "Yet, she hasn't told me what's up with those weary eyes." he added, murmuring as he came closer in the table.

Sakura turned red. "Oh, Eriol-kun… c-cut it out. You can't do this to me, this time." She said, lop-siding a smile as she was signing her hands off in his face.

"How unlucky…" he said, preparing himself a cross leg.

Silence…

"…"

"Eh? Now what?"

"C'mon, Eriol-kun. I'm always fine. I… always do. Satisfied?"

"What took you so long to say you're fine?"

"I don't know."

"And I don't get it."

"Eriol-kun!?"

"Now you're complaining… now you're learning to hide something from me…" Eriol glaringly said to her, foolishly tearing his eye. "Awful. This is all your fault."

She looked deceived. "Waaaaa!!! A-Ano… I—"

"Haha, just kidding!" He burst out laughing.

"Aww… you caught me there." She said shyly, snorting hardly.

"Has she already asked you?"

"Huh? Why though? I said I'm fine, nothing else." she said, leaving her lips with those fake smiles. _But I wish she won't… they won't figure it out…_

"You're unpredictable, Sakura-chan. But you promise, if something terrible happens, you tell me right away." Eriol said, cautiously.

"I will. Arigato." she replied.

"Better." Eriol said, gesturing comfortably in his seat. "So! I heard _Hong Kong boy_ pursued studying here, ne? How's our friend?"

-

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* * *

- 

"Are you guys were back here for good? I mean, schools in Europe now have its half on its first semester, isn't it?" Sakura asked.

"Unfortunately, no. I only insist to pay a visit here, even just for a week." he said calmly. "Anyway, I'm planning to take college here in Japan. Ah, no… I will be taking it." he grinned.

"Sounds great, really!"

The sun was starting to give away its lingering heat. Heading home, the two decided to drop by at the Tomoeda Penguin Park for a while. Eriol smiled, much to his contentment. He felt he had never left his hometown… How he wished he never did.

They were walking side by side when Eriol spoke. "There. Thanks for coming with me." he said to his comrade who was beginning to stir a moment of unusual silence.

"N-NO! I should be the one thanking you." said Sakura who looked shaken up.

"You better should." They laugh.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Hm?"

"I wasn't lying when I told you I missed you."

"Aw, I know. But get it straight, Eriol-kun. It wasn't me you're trying to—"

"Yeah… I've always waited for this time to come." he said with a mixture of sadness and excitement in his tone. "I came back 'coz I've promised…"

They both stopped at the intersection. "She'd be happier to see you too."

"Will she?"

Sakura nodded with glee.

"Say, had she suffered that much since I left?" Eriol looked worried.

"Who do you think you are? Lover boy?"

They laugh once more, and then Eriol began pleading again.

"Maybe. She doesn't tell." Sakura shyly said, scratching her head.

"No wonder. That's the reason why you two were best friends…" Eriol calmly said softly.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. I said I wanna see her."

"You mean right now?"

Eriol thought for a second then replied. "I can, but then…"

"But then, what?"

"Favor, Sakura-chan, don't tell other folks I'm here already, alright? I wanted to surprise Tomoyo-san." Eriol said pleadingly.

"Um, ok, anything for Eriol-kun." Sakura said happily. "But wait—what if somebody sees your cousins?"

"Oh, I didn't think of that…" he said, fixing his glasses. "But I left them sleeping in the hotel due to jet log, so…"

"So! There's nothing to worry now. Daijoubu!" she said, tapping both Eriol's shoulders.

"Yeah. Thanks. I owe you one."

"I gotta go now. It was very nice seeing you again." Sakura happily said before anything might happen she wouldn't want him to see.

"Me too. Ja..."

"Ja." and they left the mark in the intersection and moved in separate ways.

Sakura, gripping both the strap of her backpack, thought of something nice. When she looked back, she saw Eriol who was several steps away from the intersection. She yelled his name. Luckily, he turned back too, looking surprised.

"I missed you too."

Eriol just stared at her and suddenly ended smiling. He nodded good bye as he broke off into the staring and finally headed himself back in his hotel.

Sakura watched his body walking away until in a blink, he was gone. Cold wind strained her eyes. Dried leaves scattered on the road were dancing like free birds in the air. The sun had already set, causing and leaving the sky in color gold.

Eriol had been gone for a long time and still, Sakura was there motionless ogling the marks he left. Not noticing, her auburn hair has been kissed by the wind, telling it to jazz along with the other. _Sure, I'll see Tomoyo-chan in full bloom once again._

"Eriol made me happy today. I should deserve to wear this." alone she said, forcing herself to reveal the real 'Sakura smile'.

_Forget it, Sakura. No way_, she _was a true kind person to you. Planting anger towards Akizuki Nakuru wouldn't make any change…_ she said to herself though, as if it were like swords that tore and pierced her heart.

"Oh… Guide me as I go home…" she started heading on the sidewalk all the way to her house.

"… …_Oka-san_…"

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the end, so far… 

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hah! Just the two of them, full of conversations. Well I guess this chappie goes along so well. gomen if there are errors! I just wanted to finish the third chappie (hope the fourth and the fifth as well) before Christmas...

Like it? You don't? send me your reviews then… thanks!!


	4. A Night Full of Lies

Hi! Thanks to cherry-blossoms1989 for the review/s... th only thing I can say is that you must wait for those other more chappies that i will be posting... well, that's by before the New Year's Eve or so... (i dunno)... teehee! Well at least I can feel somebody's reading my fic. Thank You...

So! A post Christmas chapter for everyone! Hope you guys won't be confused anymore! A little refreshning-- _Eriol isn't the one Sakura's pertaining to. Remember, he's a cousin of Nakuru, alright? Then maybe... hah! so, you see? The answers were right down here so read it!_

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I Fell In Love with the Rain

**Chapter Three: A Night Full of Lies**

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-

"I'm home." Sakura said in her usual arrival at home from the whole day of schoolwork.

_So… I'm yelling home to myself…_ she thought after seeing no familiar shoes of his father or his brother. Putting on her slippers, she proceeded to the living room and placed there for a while her bag and then went to the kitchen to prepare for dinner.

_Hmm… let's see what we can have tonight._ She opened the ref and looked for something to cook before her brother arrives. _Ottou-san is still on his three-day seminar so that means it's just me and Onii-chan…_

She was about to close the refrigerator when she thought of someone, like their _usual _visitor might come along at this point of the night. Erasing all her thoughts, she carried the things she needed all the way to the sink.

"Come what may…"

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* * *

- 

"C'mon… Don't let me down this time!" said a male voice who ordered the other as they were pulling each other's hands in the middle of the road.

"Look. No one's in charge of the shrine. Grandpa's attending a homecoming, and so with Grandma…" his words bonded with alibis, Yukito Tsukishiro can't look at Touya in the eye. He's not used to lie with his sole best friend.

"Nah… You're starting to drain me! We need to celebrate! You could always go home after you have eaten dinner with us." Touya explained with a bit irritation. They were on their way to the Kinomoto Residence.

"But—"

"No buts!"

"Touya…"

A sharp look carried Yukito away. "…A-Alright." He finally answered with a little wavering in his tone. Touya naughtily places his arms on Yukito's shoulders, putting his weight on him.

"Say, you hate eating alone, don't you?"

"…"

"Bet,_ kaijuu_'s going to be in a bliss seeing you again." Touya happily said, referring to Sakura as a monster.

"Y-You… You think so?" Yukito said, pretending to add excitement to his question. _Oh Touya, if you only knew…_

The stars were brightly shining up in the sky. Cold air it may was, Yukito just let himself be pulled by good luck of having and hoping an enjoyable dinner.

…_If you had only seen her face in distress because of me, will you ever forgive me?_

_-_

_-_

* * *

-

"Finally." placing her apron back to its place, Sakura gazed at the dining table filled already with everything. She moved a bit, looking astounded when she heard their doorbell rang. Nervous, she can't help but to check first herself before grabbing on the doorknob. _What the heck I am fixin' myself just to welcome bro—_

"Why… are you… dramatizing or something?" Touya smirked, feeling bossy in his suit. "Save your dream later, kaijuu."

"I am not kaijuu!" Sakura whimpered in anger and complaint, just like ordinary cats and dogs were.

"Hah! You don't even know how to greet, we have a special visitor…" he laughingly said, foolishly tangling up Sakura's hair. Then he moved forward, widening the door in its full swing. "Oy, what are you waiting there—roots on your feet?" Touya yelled at the person who was still outside the house.

"Hoe?"

The man entered, but this time, Sakura wasn't that surprised anymore.

"K-Konbanwa…"

"Why, Konbanwa… Y-Yukito-san…" she warily said to him, constraining herself to bequeath a prudent smile. Yet, Sakura can never hide the coldness in her voice.

"What's for dinner?" Touya quenched off the dead air between them. He proceeded to the dining area. Maybe he was enthralled by the aroma of the food Sakura cooked.

"Steamed fish and Miso soup. That's all I can cook. There's a strawberry cake in the ref, I'm sure dad made it..." Sakura went on blabbing and blabbing as she turned back on the vestibule and just simply left Yukito standing on the backdoor before he could stop her. Yukito, on the other hand felt the real anxiety towards Sakura and starting to act very odd things that Touya might see. He closed the door gently and just followed Sakura's direction.

"Get another plate, then." Touya ordered to his sister as he was about to pull the chair he usually sits in.

"I... I-I'm done already… I-I must finish my reaction paper by tonight so…" Sakura said, unhesitant to lie in front of her brother's expressionless face. Just up in that scene enters Yukito, who was also stunned and puzzled of what she said.

"My… this is unbelievable…" Touya touched his forehead as he stared upon the smoke coming from the meal that is served.

"I'm sorry… N-Now if you'll excuse me, I-I…" Sakura moved and lapse Yukito's presence as she headed upstairs.

"S-Sakura-chan…" Yukito whispered the moment she passed him by. The girl suddenly stopped.

"Yes?" flatly she said.

"Nothing much! I-I just... We…"

"Aw, you two…" interrupted Touya, munching a bite of his food. "Don't mind it, Yuki-san… thank you… She isn't interested about the hunt, anyway." he added, letting himself thundered the house with his sentiments.

"I-Iie! I didn't say that! Say… what?!" Sakura uncertainly shrieked upon meeting her brother's tearful eyes. Touya heaved a sigh. Sakura was there, edging in the thought that she does upsetting her brother so much. Yukito, who slouched, tired of standing the other position was there motionless stirring silently.

"Too bad…"

"Eh? O-Onii…"

"Too bad we swept them off! We made it, Sakura!!" Touya stood up abruptly in his chair like he had been won the million.

"Yay! That was awesome! I thought you guys were…Oh… that's great!" Sakura couldn't say that much, but she exclaimed with complete gratitude and instantly rushed in the direction of his brother to give him a warm hug.

Yukito was there, staring at his happy friends and taking his chance having his silent glances on Sakura. He wasn't still that convinced seeing his best friend's sister in that cheerful way.

"Congratulations, Onii-chan! You too… Yukito-san." She said, smiling. But then, her smile hadn't reached the eye whenever she was pertaining to Yukito's name. _It's not anymore._

"Thank you. I'm glad. Really..." Yukito replied, with his whole appreciation. Sakura turned her 'operation-avoid-Yukito' on. "S-So… I gotta go now. I'll just clean those things up later on so knock me if you're done."

"Yeah… G'luck…" Touya mumbled, busy eating. Yukito reached the table at once and passed by Sakura again just like that. He did smell her cologne too. _Something lemon_, he guessed.

"Hey, Ottou-san called up. He said he'll be back by…" Sakura's voice was getting smaller and softer as she talked and climbed the stairs at the same time. But then she hardly noted her last words that only a monster can do. "…by the NINETEENTH!" and she slammed the door shut.

Yukito, who was about to take his food stopped, turned his head and looked at Sakura's door. Then in a flash he remembered one of the most important dates of his life. His eyes widened.

"Really a kaijuu… does she…" Touya ignored what his sister had just done and continue with his food. "Yuki-san… let's leave a spare for that kid."

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* * *

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_My… Am I that obvious…?_

Still leaning on the door, Sakura let herself be seated on the floor. Though it became very hard for her to do these new adjustments towards Yukito, she can't just erase instantly the feelings she took care in her young heart ever since childhood.

"God, I'm tired…" she murmured as she curled up, hugging her knees close to her and buried her face on it. She sighed hard.

_I only treated you as a friend… A sister!_

'_A sister…'_

"…things will never be the same again…" after all those words, Sakura gave in for a break. No more pretending, no more lies. Awful it may seem, though shaking wasn't that a hard thing to do along with the sobbing, she did it… and hoping she would carry it as possible as she could bear it.

-

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* * *

-

Awakened by an infuriating sound, Sakura lazily got up from her former position and find herself reaching for her cellular phone, located under the books and school stuff messed around on her table.

"Moshi-Moshi…?"

"I…I-I thought you had slept already…" said a familiar voice on the other line.

"Oy, Syaoran-kun… it's late, I must say…" she replied, diminishing that lousy, sleepy voice. Gladly she needed someone to talk to. Gladly Syaoran called her up.

"I don't think so. It's only eight o'clock…"

She checked on her wristwatch and the moment she looked on it, it beeped, agreeing on Syaoran's statement. "Oh… yeah… right."

"Hey, am I… disturbing you?" Syaoran asked with all concern.

Sakura quickly snapped him off. "N-No! Actually, I need somebody to chat along with. Thank you." she said as she opened her lights on and walked until she reached the window, releasing the tie of the curtain with her left hand. The right one held her phone sticking it to her ear.

"No problem. I just wanted to check if you're fine." Syaoran's voice sounded like cautioning her.

"I was, I am and I…" she paused, filling the next sentence with a better one. "…I will!"

She can hear the voice on the other line laughing. _They sure really bothered about me… Syaoran, Tomoyo… Eriol… all of them… I hate myself for not realizing it earlier._

"S-Sakura-chan?"

"O-Oh! A-Ano! My brother's calling me! T-Thanks for checking me up. I'm fine, really." She said, nearly running out of alibis upon telling a lie to his friend.

"You sure?"

"Hai."

"Well then. …see you tomorrow in school."

"Okay. Oyasumi Nasai!" she finally said, biting her thumb like crazy, still standing behind the curtained window, then moved in the middle of the room, turned her phone off and let be thrown in the bed.

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"Sayonara…" keeping himself warm in his green-leather hood jacket, Syaoran peacefully said good bye, can't help but to feel like blushing. As he pressed the bottom off and carefully putting down the phone from his ears, he took a deep breath and stared for the last time the well-lit room of the upper part of the Kinomoto residence… the room he presumed where Sakura stays. He was seeing her silhouette from there until it disappeared.

"How can I help Sakura, if you always making me feel like you don't need any…? How?" he lowly said to himself before finally marching his way home and bygone like a breeze.

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to be continued....

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A/N: Whoa... good thing PunkxRockxPrincess has an idea of making them older, ne? Hmm... but I think this would be okay.

Reviews will be appreciated! VERY appreciated! Thanks!


	5. The 19th of November

Heeyah! I have here again a new chapter! The title explains it! Happy reading, and please review! Thanks!

This is the fifth update, so maybe it's time to remind them the disclaimer's note. (smiles)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own CCS. 'Just borrowing the characters and the setting to its real owner, CLAMP...

I Fell In Love with the Rain

**Chapter Four: The 19th of November

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No use denying it. This day has come to let her deserve all of the hurting. Every stab. No way can she refuse it, even if the sun madly shines, giving the usual scorching heat. Still, Sakura miserably thought and hoped she'd never been so glad...

"...to have a Sunday come in our lives!" stretching both her hands in the air with a camcorder on the right one, Tomoyo clearly hummed the line to the person who was nearly hugging the door of over boredom.

"Aw, knock it off, Tomoyo-chan. I'm not in the watching mood..." Sakura pleadingly said with a forced but a heavy smile.

"What's gotten into you? C'mon, let's try this newbie..." her best friend said, convincing her to have the camcorder to be tested. "It's a new product of the company. See?" she demonstrated at the newest features of the gadget. "If you will rotate this one, you can get...—Hey! Let me in, will ya?!"

"Ooofff!!! I'm sorry!" Sakura hesitantly said upon opening the door and letting her friend trip around the house.

"I can sense you have a problem nowadays, Sakura-chan..." Tomoyo stopped from moving, then she faced her, looking very worried.

"N-No! What makes you s-say that?" Sakura lied, symbolizing surrendered hands to Tomoyo's face.

"So!" Tomoyo's lips widened much to her surprise. "If you aren't, better get changing!" Tomoyo pushed her back, as they headed upstairs.

Sakura can't help but to move constantly. "Demo--"

"Now!"

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Checking on his wristwatch: 9:10 AM. _Am I that early or its just girls were always late?_

He was standing for about an hour, and now, Syaoran was still patiently standing in front of the main gate of Tomoeda Theme Park.

"Li-kun!"

Arranged himself from leaning at the post, he searched the voice that was calling his name. _Daidouji..._

"Sorry... to keep you... waiting..."Tomoyo and Sakura panted, gathering almost all the oxygen of the earth."This girl..." Tomoyo continued, pointing Sakura with her amethyst eyes and then gazing them back to Syaoran's questioning ones. "She... gave me a hard time... really..."

"If I only knew from the start, Syaoran-kun was with us, we wouldn't get cramming like this!" Sakura said to Tomoyo, half-blaming her. She gave a shy smile and do the usual gesture of apology. "Gomen Nasai."

"And you don't even learn how to greet him a good morning though!" Tomoyo said, foolishly raising her melodious voice. "Like 'hi Syaoran! Ohayou!'" she said, waving her left hand in the air. "Is that too much to ask?"

Sakura shyly scratched her head, thinking the same thing her brother has observed. _De ja vu!_

"T-That's okay." Syaoran smiled. "There's nothing to worry about. What matters is that you guys were here already."

"Why, you're so kind, Li-kun!" Tomoyo exclaimed happily in front of him as Sakura turned down to tie her unfastened shoelace. Tomoyo turned her camcorder on and took Syaoran's blushing face she couldn't resist. "Too bad, _somebody_ can't figure it out yet..." she whispered.

"Pardon?" Sakura stood up asking Tomoyo, letting her repeat the last line she had just said.

Syaoran turned tomato, but Sakura didn't notice it. This, made Tomoyo chuckled even more. "I said let's get going!"

"Okay!" Sakura happily gave in for several steps, leaving Tomoyo and Syaoran not far behind. Tomoyo took shots of her, running and waving at them and telling them to follow her first stop.

Tomoyo removed the camcorder in her face. "Hope this theme park idea works..."

"Yeah."

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"Guys! Can we look at those stuffs over there?" Sakura asked Tomoyo and Syaoran after eating their ice cream. They get tired of trying almost all the rides of the place. So now they were comfortably seated at the bench.

"Give us a break, Sakura-chan. If you want, we could wait here." Tomoyo said, doing something at her camcorder.

"Take your time." Syaoran added.

"Hoe? Aww, okay... Stay here okay? I'll just be in a while." Sakura ran off, going to a nearby shop.

As seen on Tomoyo's lens, she entered crafts and toyshop and closed the glass door.

"She's cute isn't it?" out of the blue she said.

"N-Nani?"

"You heard me, Li-kun. And I can sense you like her a lot." Tomoyo let her camcorder away from her and placed it on her lap. In the glass window they can see Sakura's back, staring cute toys in shelves.

"She and she will never know..." Syaoran broke off, turning his head down. "...how much she _means_ to me..."

"Then why don't you tell it right away to her?" Tomoyo looked the one beside her in the eye, as she rested her back on the trunk of a tree.

"We always knew, Daidouji-san. It was Tsukishiro who makes her smile and..."

"…"

"...A-And I can't do... nor even surpass what that guy does to her." Syaoran's voice lowered down like whispering hopelessly.

Tomoyo sighed, staring back at her lifeless camcorder and held it tightly.

"She has changed."

Syaoran moved a bit, like in a blink, realizing what Tomoyo had just said.

"Often times I think... Am I losing that old Sakura I used to know? But... no. She _is_ really changing... like other ones do... like a _rose_ who's definitely going to bloom just in time...

"She has changed, without me, realizing it. I sometimes got lost tracking of her too, you know..." Tomoyo chuckled, but with a mixture of sadness and regret in her tone.

Syaoran looked back to Tomoyo's face, which's now staring Sakura in the distance.

"Will she continue to change that I may not be able to see?" her amethyst eyes gone blurry. Fighting the water that might come out inside her, she continued talking again.

"But _you..._"

Syaoran stunned, pointing himself in front of Tomoyo's pleading eyes.

"M-Me?"

"I know you always catch up on her every once in a while. You don't notice it, but I can see it, with or without this one in my hands." she replied, referring the 'this' to her camcorder.

"Li-kun, I'll entrust to you our dearest friend. I also knew Meilin-chan did the _same thing_ we thought it was right. Sakura-chan deserves to have a happy ending. And if she'll be with you, I... will be the first person to thank you." she said, tapping Syaoran's shoulder, smiling. "I'll support you all the way."

"Daidouji--"

"You must find way to say what you feel. If you don't, I'm sure you'll get regretful in the end, the moment she passes you just like nothing."

"But how Daidouji? What she only sees was... Yukito? I can never compete to someone whom she adored since childhood..."

Tomoyo gathered again the camcorder that was rested for a while. At the same time, Sakura stepped out of the store, waved at them and starting to return to their place. It was all recorded in Tomoyo's hands.

"Who knows, Li-kun?"

"…?"

_"Rare flowers weren't blooming yet."_

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When Sakura arrived, she kept on telling her friends what she had seen inside the shop, describing sizes of nice stuffed toys and more. Syaoran took glances of her face but in his mind, filled the thoughts of Tomoyo's words. _Guess it's time... but when?_

Tomoyo was still taking videos of Sakura and Syaoran chatting along until her camera lens went to see three familiar people approaching their place. The taller one, she was sure that's Yukito along with the woman who clung to him, waving happily to them. Then the woman called Sakura, Sakura heard and turned aback, and the girl ran, holding hands along with Yukito, leaving the other guy whom Syaoran thought it must be their age.

Sakura's eyes widened and her lips full of smiles and new stories were lost as she saw the woman. When they finally reached the bench, the woman hugged her so tight, in that old friendly manner.

"Sakura-chaaaan! Girl, I missed you sooo much!!!" the woman gently held her face with her both hands and then kissed her in the cheeks.

Sakura stood there for a moment her face was expressionless, maybe in the state-of-shock look. Her eyes moved and all she can see was a face of the man she's currently avoiding nowadays. She looked up to Yukito accusingly, like telling him mentally 'do you really have to make me sad all the time' look. But Yukito just gave back a little smile, wishing and pleading her to accept the woman with her whole heart, for _friendship's sake._

"Nakuru-chan..."

"Whoa, you looked like Yuki-san the moment he sees me a while ago! Right, sweetie?" Nakuru excitingly told her upon looking at Yukito, who then broke off into Sakura's staring. "You're still having that very _genki_ face! Are you happy seeing me again?!"

"I..." Sakura can't help but to forge a smile. She doesn't know. "I… I-I was. I was just--you k-know... I'm surprised! Yeah."

Syaoran looked very worried to Sakura, and then in a second he took a glance to the guy who was left behind.

"Wait for a sec... was he...?"

Tomoyo turned off her camcorder, and slowly she put it down and stood up. Just in time she was meeting those eyes she longed to see. And when she thought she reached the peak of happiness, her amethyst eyes gone watery as she held her breath. Warm wind was there to reunite them once more.

"E-Eriol-kun!" Syaoran ran off, never minding the people around him. He hugged Eriol like he had found a lost buddy in a crowded place. Syaoran ended messing up his hair. "Long time no see!"

Eriol greeted him back, as Syaoran accompanied him to their place. And as they came closer, Syaoran broke off into the hugging, tapped and lightly he pushed Eriol's back at once. Syaoran smilingly placed his hands at the back of his head.

Eriol came closer... closer until he finally meets Tomoyo's speechless face, one on one.

"I'm back..."

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to be continued...

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_Now what would be going to happen next? Will Sakura try to walk away again? Will Syaoran have the chance of saying his feelings to her? Exciting stories will also come up too to Eriol and Tomoyo so watch out for it! _

_Thanks for reviewing! I hope I can get more comment form you guys! May this chappie hook you up! hehe! Advance Happy New Year!_


	6. The 19th of November Part 2: Reunited

Hi there! sorry for not updating this! It's just that I'm doing a lot of school work. Luckily I had time to encode this and let it be posted! A long chapter for everybody! This is my way of thanking my readers who made me glad last season break. hope you guys will like it!...

_-In any situation like this, you need a friend to cry on when things went wrong, a friend to tell your problems with... Good thing in this chapter, Sakura needs one... even ifher friend was hurting little by little? Still, she was lucky for she has a great companion in the person of.................... and that what you gotta read it out!!!!!! REVIEWS REVIEWS!!! thanks!!_

I Fell In Love with the Rain

**Chapter Five: The 19th of November Part 2: Reunited**

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Enjoying their drinks under the shade of the umbrella rack, Sakura, Syaoran, Nakuru and Yukito share on table to talk about everything under the sun, since Tomoyo and Eriol were gone to have a private talk.

She may look enjoying the rest of the day, but Sakura just got enough and swore in her heart to listen to her bad vibrations before starting the day.

Syaoran stood up uncomfortably and said, "I-I'll buy snacks… A-Ano… who…" he stopped, looked at them: Nakuru, who smiled widely to him; Yukito, who stared a far; and Sakura…

She gave him nothing but a smile, her eyes seemed understanding. "Potato chips, if you don't mind?"

Syaoran smiled back, nodded and went off.

Silence…

Nakuru started to tattle and faced Sakura. "Hey! I heard you met Eriol in school the first day we arrived. Is that true?"

"Y-Yeah." Sakura spoke back, making Yukito to look forward and meet her next lines. "He even told me to keep my mouth shut… that's why…" she grinned and then sipped her iced tea.

"I can't come along with him that day. Kaho-san and I were sooo tired that I could almost sleep on the carpeted lobby the moment we checked in the hotel!" Nakuru beamingly said while sorting the whole arrival story.

"Mizuki-dono? She's here?" Yukito bumped in, now looking interested in the flow of discussion.

"Oh! Haven't I told you, sweetie?" Nakuru held his hands resting on the table that Sakura can't help but to follow Nakuru's every action, as she consider it to her mind that one as an ugly picture.

Nakuru went on. "She said… she and her colleagues will be doing a special project. I don't manage to squabble anymore so…" and then she went blabbing and blabbing until they arrived on talking about England's style of living compared to Japan and…

Nakuru's eyes were caught by some bunch of early 20's coming out from the movie house.

"Hey, I'll just leave you for a sec!" Nakuru got her round cap and was about to stand up when Yukito's eyes met hers asking like 'why'.

She grinned and looked up to Sakura, whose eyes were telling different: alarmed yet nervous. "Aww, 'just waving 'hello' to someone…" she let go of Yukito's hands and ran to those people whom they guessed her high school friends.

So that leaves Sakura and Yukito…

_Sakura: (clasp both hands) Whatta day…_

_Yukito: (tap the table—create noise) should I make the first move?_

They have gone blushing, until they couldn't take it anymore if who's going to do the stirring and breaking the silence.

"We need to talk." They said in chorus.

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* * *

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"D'you think it's good to leave them and have our own thing?" half-worried Tomoyo said, smiling to the person on her opposite side.

"Maybe… maybe not… Oh, I don't care." Eriol gave a laugh and placed his arms above Tomoyo's shoulders. They started walking.

"I…" Tomoyo shyly whispered, looked down to her camcorder and decided to keep it for a while in her bag. She doesn't want that thing be crushed into pieces, for she was holding it so tightly due to nervousness and some other mixed emotions.

"Yes…?"

"…"

"S-Say… do you… missed me?" Eriol eyes crinkled. She could see it, with or without his reading glasses that hid those handsome eyes of his.

"Yes… and I mean… a lot." her eyes shimmer like diamonds to blurriness.

"Me too…"

Tomoyo broke off into the gazing and in a while they reached the fountain and ended up leaning on its high grills.

"Look at me." Eriol held her chin and raised it, fronting it onto his face level. For a minute they are in that setting until Tomoyo broke off, bowed down and have gotten in her bag the camcorder once again, turned it on and started to mumble like in a hurry.

"S-Shouldn't we forget for a while our being couch potatoes? We're getting a little bit dramatic, w-well it's just only five years b-but—and oh we even stand here like m-movie icons and w-we—"

"I love you."

Just in time Tomoyo had taken Eriol's face that have gone sincere and true in her camera lens. She stiffened in shock. All she can hear were the drops coming up and down in the fountain and her heart, screaming beats for the one she dearly loves the most.

"I love you, Tomoyo…" he said it again. "…ever since… everyday… until this very moment, it never fades…" and Eriol removed her camcorder in her face, along with the tears flowing in the cheeks and kissed her gently on the lips.

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* * *

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"Okay." Syaoran said to himself while walking, in his hand the things he bought.

_Say, maybe I'll tell her…'hey, that isn't a treat!' and then cut her off by saying 'just kidding!' …Nah._ He shook his head lightly, thinking how to ease Sakura's tension seeing Yukito with that Akizuki Nakuru together again.

_She's hurt, I know. And she's been hurting since that very day those guys told us they were. Oh man…_ Syaoran thought, beginning to feel sad for his friend.

He prepared himself, feeling comfy and then feeling worried again. "Sakura… Sakura… how can I make you happier?"

"Okay." He said it again. _Be brave Syaoran Li, c'mon! It's just a simple thing!_ "Eherrm…" He cleared his throat, practiced and uttered for himself a line like… "H-Hey… I've brought you your—"

He was a few more blocks away, and he can see from there were Sakura and Yukito, talking and snorting each other's faces. Fearing he might be caught watching by Sakura, he hid on the hotdog stand nearby and let himself be eaten by the crowd.

He didn't know what to feel but he's sure, sadness weighed most in his heart as he stared the things he was carrying in his hands: his canned coke and…

"…potato chips."

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* * *

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"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Nakuru smilingly said to Yukito and Sakura as she arrived and sat across to Yukito. "I'm right." she said. "Those were my high school friends! I'm so happy to see them again." She grinned and did again the talking. "Wait; Is Li-kun here already?"

"There he is!" Sakura pointed Syaoran who was nearly approaching to their place. "Syaoran-kun!" she waved.

Syaoran just smiled flatly and gave her the potato chips she ordered for. "Arigato." she said.

"I have an idea!!!" Nakuru stood up in a snap. All eyes were looking intently to her.

"Let's watch a movie!"

They all have gone silent. "What movie?" Yukito asked, bonding both his hands on the table.

"I heard my friends it's an awesome movie!" Nakuru exclaimed and continued. "It's called 'Bloody Window'. Scary isn't it?"

Sakura almost jumped in sudden fear. "B-B-Bloody… W-Win…dow?" just when she asked in apprehension, Nakuru nodded in glee.

"Why? Sure, it's exciting and—"

"I've already watched that movie." Syaoran knocked in. "It wasn't that bad, but—" he paused, looking to Sakura's tearful eyes. "—b-but I don't think all of us w-would like it…. uh…" he instantly blushed.

"He's right." Yukito said in second. "Besides Naku-chan, I'm not into the horror mood today."

Sakura heaved a sigh, thanking Syaoran and Yukito in silence.

"Oh… Okay. But still!" Nakuru insisted, making Syaoran and Yukito sigh in chorus. "We'll be watching another movie!" she paused, thought for a moment and talked again.

"How about a romantic one? I haven't watched 'Awakening City' in England yet…"

"And the title's interesting too!" Sakura clapped in amusement. They all stood up, heading to the movie house and Nakuru told her the plot of the story, leaving Yukito and Syaoran behind.

"Guess we can't say no…" Syaoran said, broke off staring Sakura's back and gazed at colorful movie banners as he gestured again both his hands at the back of his head.

"Whoa…" Yukito just grinned, and then sighed again.

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_"I've waited there Akira… and up until now I'm still waiting." _

_"You can't just—" _

_"No. You haven't heard my last word." _

_"…Nani?" _

_"I've made up my mind. I…I'm tired of waiting. I'm fed up of… of l-loving somebody who doesn't love back." _

_(Back-up instrumental) _

_"Shizu… I-I…" _

_"Don't come near me…! I said don't!!! I don't need your comfort!!!" _

_"Look. You and me… We need to mend things together… We… w-we need to find way to understand each other… You knew me… you… y-you mean a lot to me, b-but…" _

_"But what Akira? …I-Iie… It's over now. Time had completely left, without me growing up with all this love for you… I k-know Akira, someday…someday I'll be over you and you'll see…" _

"…amazing things might happen." actress Shizu and Sakura said the last phrase at the same time but Sakura murmured it only to herself. Her emerald eyes gone teary eyed, watching her most favorite part of the scene.

She doesn't notice, Syaoran was stealing glances of her pretty face, who is seated beside her. He was seated near the aisle and on Sakura's right was Nakuru, who tilted her head to Yukito, who was seated next to her. Syaoran silently gazed on Sakura's eyes tat shimmers in the strike of light coming from the wide screen. He can't imagine seating beside the girl he secretly loved. He just can't believe it.

But then again, he couldn't just change the impression of those eyes: happy yet lonely.

Syaoran's thoughts have gone thinned when Sakura stood up, made excuses on him until she reached the aisle and stepped out.

Minutes later, the story's on its peak, still Sakura hasn't return to her seat. Fear rose up on him and thought girls don't stay that long to the restroom. So, he decided to go out and looked for her.

He came out, surprised to see Sakura's back sitting at the main staircase of the movie house.

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* * *

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"Hi." Syaoransaid, almost making Sakura jumped in astonishment.

"You stayed long, just sitting here?" he said and sat beside her.

"Um… not quite." Sakura gave a shy, but forced smile.

"Story's on its climax. Come on."

"Thanks, but I knew it already."

"W-What do you mean?"

Sakura faced him and grinned. "Actually, if you didn't know yet, I and Tomoyo-chan had watched that last week, three times in a row."

"R-Really?" Syaoran said, and started to laugh a little.

"I'm sorry if I didn't tell you. But I like repeating it anyway… and I think Nakuru-chan liked it so mush so…"

"G-Guess I don't need to hide this anymore…"

"Eh?"

His words made his cheeks go red. "I… err… No. I-I mean, we—Yamazaki and I… tried to go in with the flow of people the day it was premiered."

"Whoa! That was long, I say! We decided not to watch on that date but you…"

Syaoran blushed even more when Sakura laughed and punched him lightly at the back.

"So!" she grinned again, crinkling her eyes. "You like watching romantic movies, huh?" Sakura butted in for more.

"Hmmm… It was Yamazaki-kun. I'm more into action and suspense. But since I find the story nice, I gave in. Odd, but rarely I'm fond of these things." he explained as he placed both his hands inside his pocket of his hooded sweatshirt.

"I learn something new again about you." Sakura hummed like she discovered a brilliant scientific source.

Silence…

Few couples were going out from the door, loitering around the food stands and restrooms. Sakura's eyes have gone weary again. "I'm worried of Ottou-san. He said he'll be back by the night, still—"

"Was that really all??"

Syaoran's companion got silent and started letting out a sigh. That moment he can't control himself anymore, for time has come to spill what he felt special for her, but then again, in a second he backed off. He's still seeing Sakura's face in distress again, so he grabbed her hand, pulled her to go down, away from the movie house.

"Leave them. Wanna talk about that at the baywalk?"

"…Glad you thought and asked me…"

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to be continued…

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so!! was it good enough? Will Sakura speak out? Will this chapter be followed by a no. **3**? tell me!! i need your **REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**thanks! i'll update this soon you'll see!!**


	7. The 19th of November Part 3: Sunset

Another chappie!! Hope you guys will read it until the end! (the ending's not so bad, you know!!)

Read it best when playing the song Honey by Chihiro! (I am!! Yeah!) This chappie is like in the series… (just read it) but I put more cute scenes and more serious lines… so! Happy reading!

I dedicate this chapter to one of my best friends. Madie, this is for you...Ü

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I Fell In Love with the Rain

**Chapter Six: The 19th of November Part Three: Sunset Testimonials**

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"Sunset... I love seeing it from here…" Sakura said, doing a slouching position, her hands lifting her own cheeks.

"I often go here after school…"

"You do? Why?" she looked up on him, surprisingly.

"A-Ano… N-Nothing. 'Just thinking of many things: school, family… e-everything…" he blushingly said, fearing he might slip her name on his 'thinking list'. Sakura smiled at him and gazed back at the big sun saying goodbye.

Silence…

"I've already _told him_, Syaoran-kun…"

Syaoran's eyes widened. He looked intently to Sakura, who's happily staring the sun… No way he was wrong, for he's clearly sure that 'him' she's pertaining to was…

"That _movie_… that movie gave me the urge to tell what's on my mind… what's on my heart. I still haven't forgotten that day—the day I talked to him about this feeling I felt for him…"

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**We had dismissed early from school then. When I got home, I saw him sleeping in the swing Ottou-san made in the garden. The sun was madly up, making his pretty silver gray hair sparkles to the sunlight…**

**I love the way his cheeks caressed by the wind, the way he breathe, it's like I want to make time stand still… Oh I love everything about Yukito-san…**

**At that time I didn't know I was about to touch his face but gently he slowly opened his eyes. I couldn't help but to feel again the heater on my cheeks! Oh, Yukito-san… sure if he caught me in time, I will hide inside my clothes forever…**

"_K-Konnichiwa!" Sakura said, weighing tons of shame she can't carry._

"_Oh… hello. I-I didn't know… y-you have arrived—"_

"_Ooofff!!! Hoooeee!!! Did I—Did I wake you up?! I'msosorryI'mso—" Sakura shrieked in fearing Yukito gone mad at her._

"_I'm so tired, Touya-san left for a while and I… I almost slept in here…" he just gave a smile, lightly scratching his head. "Daijoubu desu."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Hai."_

"Honto ni_…?"_

"_Un. Honto _wa_..."_

"_Honto ni honto ni honto ni honto _da yo_?! You know what, I could hum you a lil' lullaby I know if you wanna take a nap again—"_

_Yukito stared at her for a long time, so long that she stopped the talking. She suddenly looked apprehensive again._

"_Why… Did I say… D-Did I say something w-wrong?"_

"_N-No! Not at all..." Yukito replied and to Sakura's surprise, he began smiling crazily. "I… I just… Oh well…" and he began laughing, combing his hair using his hand and laughed again. "Actually I find that _cute…_ Really." and then he smiled, staring not in her face, and grinned once more._

**I stopped… I stood there like a dead branch… I stopped not because I ran out of words to say. Well, I maybe was… I don't know. His smile… those laugh… He wasn't talking about me. It's not me that he's smiling nor laughing at. I know that much…**

**But why I can't tell the reason? It's like everyday since we met; I watched his every move, his every step… until that moment. I dreamt of him, I wanted him to see me in a different way. I…I-I longed for him to see me grow up to become perfect _only _for him. Still, these thoughts were gone and reminding me the smile he let me see… the smile I couldn't see somewhat deep inside him and thought it was really for me. I was totally hurt. I turned back.**

"_Hey, what's wrong?" Yukito caught her hands, making her to stop from moving._

"_I… I-I'll go inside." She didn't know what she did to remove Yukito's hands from her. She gave in for a few steps. _

"_Sakura!" she heard her name sounded with authority. She stopped. "I said I'm okay. You don't need to worry—"_

"_But I'm not Yukito-san…" she faced him with tears streaming down her face. "…the worst thing is, you don't worry that much as I wanted to…"_

"_Sakura-chan!" Yukito dashed to come closer to her and wipe her cheeks with bare hands. "D-Did I say very awkward things?"_

"_N-No…"_

"_Then why!?!"_

**I have to talk to him as long as possible… I have to find the easiest way to say what I feel, but it went wrong. I was a fool… really a fool.**

"_Y-Yukito-san… I don't know. I'm s-stupid… All this time I-I…" she said, shaking in front of Yukito who's still looking puzzled._

_He held her face, meeting his eyes to hers. "Damn myself! Tell me—am I making you very sad? Do I make you suffer? Am I the reason why you're—"_

"_It's the other way around!" she paused, gulped for breath and yelled again. "If you only knew, I t-treat you so special... So special here…" she grabbed one hand from him and directed it on her heart until she finally can't bear it. Sakura clung and hugged Yukito and told him the words she longed to say…_

"_I love you Yukito-san!! _More than a friend!!_" she cried, squeezing her eyes shut, and more tears racing down on her cheeks._

_Yukito felt shocked, seeming deaf to what Sakura had confessed to him. He became rigid, as Sakura went on crying. "I always dream of this day, to s-say what I do f-feel for you… ever since…"_

"_S-Sakura—"_

"_I know, _she'll_ be coming back—" she sobbed in desolate tears, still hugging tightly Yukito's neck close to her. "—please say no… D-Don't let her come and k-keep you away from me!"_

"_I—"_

"_Why don't you just love me and disregard our age gap? Is _AGE_ really matters to you?!" she said with a bit raving tone._

"_SAKURA! Listen!"_

_She looked like she'd been poked by a hard thing, Sakura suddenly stopped, but still shaking in between muffled cries._

_Yukito's voice had gone soft. "Listen. You are kind and I treat you as a friend. Um, a s-sister. A sister, that's it!"_

_Just when she heard the word Yukito dropped off, she snapped her eyes wide open like she had been awaken in a bad nightmare. She could feel Yukito's hart beat ran faster._

"_Nothing else…"_

_She could almost jump in his last phrase. She had stopped the shaking… in a minute, realizing what she has done gave her a hasty feeling of stupidity and humiliation. Slowly she broke off into her tight embrace. Upon that, Sakura stared Yukito's eyes gone cold and telling like worried and sad. She tried to speak again._

"_Yukito…"_

"_No." he said, wiping the tears staining her lovely face. "Don't… D-Don't speak…"_

_That made her head looked down, helplessly staring her hands that were a bit shaky she doesn't know why. Then her eyes were back meeting on Yukito's._

_It may sound painful to hear, but Yukito furnished the last._

"_I'm sorry…" he said coldly and stared off into the distance._

_In silent muffles, Sakura stared pleadingly to his face for a long time and went back gazing her trembling hands again._

"_What have I done…?" she whispered silently to herself, lately realizing what she did was all because of love… out-of-control love. "What have I done…?!" and tears running down in her face once more._

_She kept on telling those words in mind until not recognizing she found herself walking away—still staring her hands, clenching. Just when she thought clenching them didn't help to stop the quivering, she stopped moving and took one more glance on Yukito. She felt more water streaming down her cheeks, regretfully shaking her head and finally ended scuttling away, with her right hand locked in her mouth, keeping it shut for more awful cries._

**I cowardly escaped the world, bringing with me the sweetest rejection I've never felt for ages. I ran away with Yukito seeing me… I ran, leaving the main door open, stormed the stairs at once and threw myself in the bed feeling so stupid in my entire life.**

**How can I look up to him again? It's such a shame...**

**He remained there at our house until the night came; still I didn't show up to him. Onii-chan yelled my name telling me supper was ready, but I didn't bother to join them. Hours later, just when I was about to stop crying for a while and sneak for food, I can't help my ears but to eavesdrop their conversation in Touya's room.**

_Touya: You should be glad._

_Yukito: (voice calm but worried) Yeah. But _she_ didn't tell when they'll be arriving._

_Touya: (tapped his shoulder) Yuki-san, you still aren't used to her, are you? We always knew, Nakuru-san's full of surprises, ever since!_

_Yukito: Yeah, b-but—_

_Touya: Aww, say, aren't you happy? C'mon… On _Sunday_ you guys will be going three years already! (voice changed, teasing) How sweet…!!!_

_Yukito: (paused) …_

_Touya: (waiting) Nani ga?!_

_Yukito: (hesitant) C-Cut it off… of course… O-Of course I am._

_Touya: Of course you are… Nah… I know (smiles) you guys will be going to be _married_ soon, hah!_

_Yukito: What the heck are you talking about?! (chuckles) We've no plans of settling down for now, you know…_

_Touya: (laughs) But you will be going there too… (pauses) with her, no one else._

_Yukito: Yeah… (paused) Who knows? (silence)_

_Touya: (grumbles, grabbing Yukito's feet) Say that to her, fool! Say that again! (both paused, heard something squeaking outside) …hey… bet, kaijuu's starving…_

-

-

* * *

- 

The water turned orange, as the sun's rays reflected so much on it. The effect was also seen on Sakura and Syaoran's eyes, as Sakura continued to tell more.

"I lost appetite I say…" she said. "I managed to sleep soaking all my pillows, still dressed in our school uniform. How embarrassing.

"I hate them. I hate Nakuru! But the most of all…?"

"…"

"I hate… myself."

-

-

* * *

- 

**But then… every time Nakuru approaches me, there's this feeling—something I couldn't explain. She… she had been so natural; every little thing she does seemed to be easy for her. She always makes the ones she loved very happy, that I… I-I couldn't put up within me that so easily like she was doing—Oh, I don't know. She's sassy, she's bright. She even lend me her hand when I needed help… sister material, I can say. She…**

**She's just being _herself._**

**Maybe that's the reason Yukito-san ended loving someone like her so much. That hurts to admit…**

-

-

* * *

- 

"I've become childish these past few days. Not realizing, many people have gone worrying all about me. I'm very sorry."

Silence…

Sakura went on for more. "Still, I'm happy with the thinking you guys worry about me. Flattering, though crazy it may sound and look like, but that's all it was. Now? I'm even happier."

Syaoran looked bewildered. "Eh? Doshite?"

"Yukito-san and I cleared things up."

"H-He did?"

"Yeah… A while ago… When you and Nakuru-san left us..." In a flash, Syaoran remembered all the things he had seen. Certain emotions rose up on him, and an impulsive guilt, thinking of Sakura and Yukito in such a way he made himself look pitiful.

-

-

* * *

- 

**We finally got the chance to talk. I didn't want to spend time, so I started to excuse my silly thoughts and mumble nonsense things. I never thought, those things went to I didn't expect…**

"_I'm sorry about… a-about last time, I-I…"_

"_I'm sorry too…"_

_Sakura looked him up. His eyes were honestly speaking his greatest apology. Yukito went on. "I know… I've hurt you so badly… so bad that… I think you might even mount your hatred to me, now that you see Nakuru again along… I-I…"_

"…"

"_P-Please. Don't… she… s-she has nothing to do with it… w-with us."_

"…"

"_It's all between us." and Yukito held her hand that had gone cold._

"_I know… I'm not that bad what you think… I…"_

"…"

"_I understand."_

_Sakura get off her hands out from Yukito's and keep them between her legs as she said those words._

"…_I-I—"_

"_I know I could never replace Nakuru in your heart. N-Never. I've gone stupid… I don't realize it earlier… that I… I-I don't deserve _somebody _like _you…"

_With those words, Yukito's eyes widened, seemed his face can't believed what had she said. Still, Sakura pushed for more…_

"_Maybe I… I-I'll have to free myself… let go of this c-crazy thing and just…"_

"…"

"_A-Anone… y-you know… I-I'll just have fun, live my life to the fullest and f-forget this, and… m-move on and…"_

"_S-Sakura…?" just in time when Yukito uttered her name, Sakura uttered his name as well. Yukito nodded silently saying like 'go on'._

_Sakura held his hands tightly as she said the last appeal departing from her feelings._

"_Y-Yukito… promise me you'll still be my _friend_?"_

_Surprised, Yukito stared her face for a minute. Happy he may seems, he was slowly letting his lips camber a wide smile until to its maximum level. _

_He held her hands back, squeezing it, making it warm. "It all came out from you… Arigato Gozaimasu, Sakura-chan."_

**The truth is… I didn't want to see it. I don't want to look forward into the future that one day he'll see me and in a blink ignoring me like I have a dreadful disease. I didn't want to know anymore of his thoughts. It hurts though… to see that there's a place in his heart I hardly couldn't reach.**

-

-

* * *

- 

"…But the important thing is…"

Syaoran kept still, listening while his head was down, staring the dull water of the blue-gone-orange bay.

"…that I…" Sakura said, now in a lower, uneven tone. "…I was there, in front of him… and he was smiling at me that I couldn't help but to just feel happy." She paused, sniffled and talked again. "And I never want him to see stop smiling, even though…"

"…"

"…e-even though I know… he's not smiling because of _me_."

Syaoran's face became sad. _I know how you feel… _To his surprise when he take a look on her, he hadn't known the girl beside him created painful tears in her eyes.

He couldn't take it anymore, so he faced her, twisted her body making her face to him.

"Here, let me…" he said upon lifting up her chin and carefully removing the ugly stain of water in her pretty face. He was now about three inches taller to Sakura, so the girl was a bit astonished for Syaoran did the wiping for her.

They gazed at each other's faces for a long time. Sakura broke off, received the hanky from him and gazed back at the sun half-setting. She didn't noticed Syaoran gone red, fearing he might be seen blushing because of her emerald eyes mesmerizing his.

After a while, the sun is quarter to be seen on earth, Sakura spoke again.

"I…" she sobbed in between tears. "…along with that sun, promise to set down, along with my feelings for Yukito…"

Syaoran looked intently to her and decided to let her do the crying leftovers.

"I guess…" Sakura continued. "…I guess this is gonna be the last time I'm going to cry for Yukito-san."

Syaoran smiled. "Promise…?"

He started making a promising sign, telling Sakura to knot her little finger along with his, and ask her to vow in front of the sun setting, making it their witness.

"Yeah… for I know, I'll be over him and someday, amazing things might happen—"

"No, Sakura… _amazing things will do happen_… you'll see…" Syaoran whispered, rephrasing actress Shizu's lines in the movie with a better one.

"Hey!" Sakura stopped. "T-That's—!"

They laughed. He doesn't know if Sakura still shook in pain or in his punch line. She went on muffling more still.

"Sakura-chan?"

"…Nani…"

"C-Can I… C-Can I hug you?"

That made her stop. Sakura gazed again at Syaoran's sincere amber eyes. She wept even more. The wind had come to kill the heat of the sun waving farewell, Sakura willingly leaned her head at his chest and let be embraced by his warm body. Sakura swore in her heart she'll be forever thanking God for giving Li Syaoran in her life.

To Syaoran's surprise, he felt she was hugging back, shaking even more.

"Syaoran-kun… I…"

"…?"

"I-I might soak your sweatshirt."

Syaoran even held her tight and emphatically whispered to her ears. "I haven't sweat that much… It wasn't smelled badly either… but your tears…"

"…"

"…that's all that _matters_…"

-

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* * *

The end, so far… 

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* * *

Quite long, ne? 

You liked it? Watch out for more chapters to come! Pray for me I hope I won't encounter a bad timing writer's block!! But I think I'll be going to have a long time again to update this. Send me your **REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS!!!!!!!! So that I could update it if you want! **Thanks!!!!

note: things in bold - Sakura's point of view

italicized - flashback


	8. Swapping Stories

Hi there! I've done and thought many things this past few days... I got sick, I got cramming with this and those... I lose temper being a homebody for two straight weeks... oh man...

Anyway, here it is! Enjoy reading! Hope you aren't upset about me... (winks)

I Fell In Love with the Rain

**Chapter Seven: Swapping Stories**

* * *

As if earthquake's coming… as if bad guys were haunting her at the earliest sunrise of Thursday. Still wishing her sensei had not come first before her, Sakura almost tore down the closed sliding door—so nervously that all her classmates stopped and looked intently to her, inhaling and exhaling in front of them like crazy. 

"Why… Oh…O-Ohayou…!" she panted in between lines as she goes straightly to her seat. "Ohayou…" she repeated it again, this time referring it to her two close friends.

"Is that… Is that you, really? Greeting me like you rarely did?" Tomoyo tapped her lightly in the shoulder and started to sermon again. "Late, as usual!" she complainingly said, adding a sigh. "Good for you, Aida-sensei's used to arrive one minute before the 15-minute grace period. What's up with you?"

"One minute, huh? How'd you know? Well, I just s-slept late last night, thinking of so many things…" Sakura lightly scratched her head, until she noticed Syaoran was there staring her ever since the moment she came in. She gave in for a little reddening of cheeks.

"D-Doshite, Syaoran-kun?"

"A-Anone! Err…Nothing!" Syaoran blushed, stared off and changed position—now looking at Tomoyo's. "Daidouji…" he asked. "Eriol's leaving by tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Hai…" Tomoyo said. "Should I feel sad? …No. For it wouldn't make any sense… Tell me…" Sakura and Syaoran smiled, as Tomoyo got the chance to speak more before their music teacher arrives. "I understand him fully, so there's no reason to stop him, for I know we'll be together again soon… In fact, he wanted us to celebrate with him… just the four of us."

"Wow! That's great!" Sakura exclaimed happily. "How about at my house—say, after school?"

"That doesn't sound bad…" Syaoran agreed. "Count me in."

"It's settled then." Sakura said and at the same time, the sliding door burst open and in came Mr. Aida, finally. Students who were standing returned to their seats; Sakura placed her bag in its place; Syaoran leaned on his chair, staring Sakura off guard.

"He'd be happy to know. I'll call him up right after this." Tomoyo whispered to both of them as she sat erect, facing the blackboard while checking up on her wristwatch. _8:14 AM _changes to _8:15_. She grinned upon looking at her teacher's face. _He did come on time! I wasn't wrong…_

_-_

_-_

* * *

- 

"It's a do-that-or-never course… Passing score is _Perfect score_, get it?" Mr. Aida explained, as students—including Sakura—moaned in disbelief.

"Demo, Sensei"—Yamazaki cut in.—"what if we don't know how to play any instrument and sing at the same time?"

"Well…" calmly he said. "…What matters is that you know how to sing. Voice is important here, alright? You don't need to end the whole song if you want. I don't care if you do taping minus ones for the melody, but not recording with your voice on the day itself—or even either has somebody's voice for your own."

"Sir…" one mahogany-haired student bumped in. "How can we get perfect scores in order to have a passing grade? That's pretty hard, we say…"

"Well again…" he sighed. "I'm no your major subject, so I don't want to add up to your miserable lives. Feels like you still don't figuring it out yet."

"What, sir?"

"What I mean in the prefect score thing is…"

All students were uncertainly waiting at his next lines.

"Simple. Very Simple… Once you perform, course's cleared."

-

-

* * *

- 

"He hadn't asked for any theme, but…"

"He's requiring an English song."

"Guess who has the lucky day, Syaoran-kun…"

Sakura and Syaoran snorted in envy upon hearing Tomoyo's devilish giggles and smiles. With Eriol now on their way marching on Sakura's home, the two still can't believe…

"…she's excused in your Music exercise?" Eriol asked, looking bedazzled. He was holding Tomoyo's hand in his left, her bag carrying the other resting it on his shoulder like a sack.

Syaoran placed his hands at the back of his head. "More or less…"

"I didn't wish for that!" Tomoyo chuckled. "Aida-sensei was kind to say it would be better if I'll pass on this one." she said. "I've done so many things in the choir these past few days. That's too much, he said."

"Aww… Now this will going to be a torturing one for us!" Sakura grumbled for more.

"That is, for _you_, Sakura-chan. I don't think Li-kun would actually feel all of that." Tomoyo giggled once again, and then looked mischievously to Syaoran's innocent eyes.

"Hm?"

"Hoe?" Sakura said, nearly to be feeling sick.

"Yeah." Eriol added. "He knew a lil' strum, a pluck… oh well, he can actually play _guitar_. He even knew how to hum a line aside from ball-kicking and that wushu thing!" Eriol demonstrated some kicking stunts to all of them. "Way back elementary I beg for him to join the musician's group but he—"

"C-Chew your tongue, Eriol-kun!" Syaoran held almost his face—particularly his mouth to keep it on digging the entire story.

"HOOOEEEE!" Sakura shrieked, her eyes gone teary in panic. "That only means I-I am the only one… w-who…"

"Nah, knock it off, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo grinned. "We all know you could _sing_ too. You don't hate music, ne?"

"Yes, but, it hates me! Nice to know Syaoran-kun knows both of it!" Sakura gave in for a shaky laugh and then gazed back happily to Syaoran. "See, I had found out something new again to you…"

"A-Ano…" Syaoran mumbled, and did again the blushing.

"Music? Hates you? I don't think so. You'll see, it'll be going to be just fine." Eriol assured her.

Sakura grumbled even more. "…in my dreams…"

-

-

* * *

- 

"You okay there?" popped in Tomoyo asking those words to Sakura at the kitchen.

"Where are they?" Sakura asked instead, stirring something sweet-smelling in front of the stove. Tomoyo came closer as Sakura let her taste the food.

"Perfect." Tomoyo smiled widely to her, emoting on the smoke coming out from the saucepan. "I left them in the living room, but I heard Li-kun drag along Eriol outside… in the garden, perhaps…"

"Ah… Okay." Sakura turned off the stove, held Tomoyo's hands as she headed to the counter.

"So!" Sakura grinned, her eyes crinkled with glee. "Time for you to spill…"

-

-

* * *

- 

"Nani?"

"Eriol-kun… you're asking 'what' after you guys have left us?" Syaoran said annoyingly to Eriol as they looked upon the orchids and other vibrant flowers Sakura's father took care of.

It has been almost a week since he and his cousins returned Japan for a break, and it has been quite a long time Eriol and Syaoran hadn't talk on heart to heart. Eriol came closer to one of the orchids he saw. "W-Well, we walked together…"

"Uhuh…"

"…we held hands… every couple does."

"Oh yeah…"

"… We laughed. Oh… I missed her chuckling a lot."

"Uhuh…"

"She took shots of us together…"

"Hmm…" Syaoran snored.

"She… she sobbed."

"Huh!" Syaoran looked very startled, stood up from being seated from the swing… the swing he presumed where Yukito's comfortably sleeping then, as Sakura had told him before. He came closer to Eriol and tapped his shoulder on purpose. "Y-You made her cry! Man, you're rude!"

"It's not that!" Eriol protested.

"Then what!"

"She…" Eriol paused, and smiled. "…s-she got carried away…"

-

-

* * *

- 

"You were?" emerald eyes gone wider.

"You can't blame me, Sakura-chan… I missed him so badly." Tomoyo blushed, lifting her cheeks through her arms resting on the table.

"The only thing I could blame you is that sometimes you're hiding what you are really feeling!" Sakura tangled Tomoyo's hair, making her looked like a new shaken-up buddy. "What else?"

"Um…" Tomoyo thought for a second and spoke again. "We watched the fountain together. Aw, the rest of it was all between us."

"Waaaaaa! Why you're so…! So—"

"You? How about you? Hah! You're eyes were like telling something _new_ and a bit strange, huh?"

-

-

* * *

- 

"What a _great guy_ should do…" Syaoran calmly said; his voice lowered like he had found tore fabrics of blue.

"Was that so?" Eriol smirked, and then sat on the garden set. "Maybe what you mean is 'what a _friend_ should _be_'."

"Yeah… add that." he said and sat next to Eriol. "I was there, when she needed a hanky to wipe those hideous tears… I lend her my ears, so she could almost scream in all the hurting she has gone through."

"..."

-

-

* * *

"Syaoran's been kind, ever since…" 

"What do you mean 'ever since'?" Tomoyo asked, now sitting on a chair.

Sakura got one of the piled chairs in the corner. "You remember the _day_ we went down Tomoeda soaking wet?"

"Y-Yeah? Oh, How I couldn't remember… you guys give me a scare!"

"That started a great comfortable feeling at that time when I was with him… anyways…" she sat first and spoke again. "Back to the topic… I thought the day when Yukito-san and Nakuru-san showed up on us I would bear so much pain. Luckily Syaoran-kun was there, to hear my sentiments, to wet off his clothes, to let me hear him say 'It's alright'… He never really gave up on me."

_He will never give up on you…_Tomoyo said in mind. She kept on listening still. _When do you have to realize that?_

"He even hugged me… I was so surprised. I never wonder why Meilin falls for someone like him."

Tomoyo smiled. "Tell me… were you also feeling like you were never wondering about?"

-

-

* * *

- 

"Just when the time I wanted to tell her my feelings, I was hurt by the fact she told me she doesn't want to see Yukito stop smiling because of her. 'Know what it feels, Eriol-kun? In my mind I told myself I know what she felt, for I don't want also to see the girl I love stop smiling too…"

"…"

"…even though _I_ am not the reason why she does."

Eriol offered him to go inside the house. They stood up weakly. "Too good to be a great guy, wasn't I…" Syaoran said sadly.

"Like I said…" Eriol paused, looked at him and braced his arms on his companion's shoulders as they headed to the main oak door. "…you're meaning to be his one great _friend_. Take that."

-

-

* * *

- 

"I was thinking what gift I could give to him…" Sakura said while removing the saucepan from the stove and placed all its contents to one clear bowl.

Tomoyo readied the platter full of thin white noodles. "You could give him anything that is _green_, Sakura-chan. I think he likes that color _so much_." she smiled softly. _Or something priceless…something called 'love'_, she thought in mind.

"Oh…" Sakura looked up on her; in her hands the bowl of white sauce. She proceeded at the dining area. "You think so? How'd you know?"

Tomoyo carried along the platter and followed her. They placed the food properly in place at the middle. Plates and utensils were done as well. "He was extremely fascinated seeing two green substances that shimmers either in any glow of light, or even if water from it comes out."

"_Kawaii_, but that's confusing!" Sakura removed her apron from her body. "Still Tomoyo-chan, what makes you say so? How come you're up to these things?"

Tomoyo rested her arms for a while at the edge of the chair. "Easy." she giggled. "I was seeing it too, and I used to be near crazily happy seeing it almost _everyday_ in front of me."

Tomoyo left Sakura clueless, analyzing the things she has said. She decided to call Eriol and Syaoran in the other room, can't help but to hide her smile when she turned back of her and thought what thing would be nicer other than seeing Sakura's _emerald eyes_ shine again.

_Ding Dong!_

"I'll go get it!" Sakura yelled upon passing Tomoyo as she ran lightly in the foyer and open the door.

"Konnichiwa, Sakura-chan! Is Touya there?" said a man carrying a huge sized paper bag in his hand. He was smiling sensibly at her.

"K-Konnnichiwa, Yukito-san!" Sakura said, quite surprised. "Just come in for a while!" she opened the door fully and let him enter the house.

"Huh?"

Yukito startled, for he was seeing three heads dashed up with their bodies hiding on the wall. One boy with glasses is in the middle, holding ebony-haired girl's mouth keeping it shut underneath him while the other guy above them was looking straightly to him and Sakura, seemed pretty shocked.

"I didn't know you have visitors." Yukito hesitantly said to Sakura, who was gently closing the oak door. "Konnichiwa, _minna-san_." He said smilingly.

"K-Korm –Komm… HEY! Let me go or I'll bite you!" Tomoyo griped upon Eriol's instant removing of his hands and in apparently they stood up. Eriol who's in the middle placed both his arms on his companions.

"Konnichiwa! And G-Gomen for that..." Tomoyo came in first.

Eriol smiled. "What's up?" and secretly clutched Syaoran's shoulder. 'Boy, speak up!' he mumbled.

Syaoran agreed though it's late in reaction. "A-Ah… Konnichiwa…"

"I've invited them to come over, since Eriol will be leaving tomorrow. Wanna join?" Sakura said as she hand him a spare of slippers.

"U-Um, I won't take long!" Yukito said and proceeded immediately to the living room where those three had headed. Sakura followed his direction. "I just brought—"

"E-Excuse me, _we'll_ go in the kitchen for a while…" Syaoran interrupted, voice seemed uneven. He wasn't looking at Sakura so he has instantly stepped out silently.

By the meaning of 'we', Tomoyo feebly went after Syaoran into the kitchen. "C'mon!" annoyingly she whispered to Eriol as she seized him on the neck, who was still standing like an innocent kid, wanting to snoop more.

The three were gone, and Yukito cleared his throat. Wondering he may was, he just simply continued. "As I was saying, I've brought here your brother's things."

"I see…" Sakura said passing to her the paper bag. "Seems very odd to me. May I go check it?"

"Sure." Yukito replied. "And… I was also here, by the way… to go check up on you too…"

-

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* * *

to be continued... 

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**please review! tell me? do you like it? bored with it? or you're actually hoping to let me continue it? then send me REVIEWSSSSSS! Arigato... that's plenty!**


	9. Last Song Syndrome

Hi again! I have here another fic! I've made it approaching to winter season, though Christmas and New Year's Eve have passed already... please review! thanks! and oh by the way, thanks to my previous reviewers! don't worry, ill be updating this as fast possible as i can! I need reviews though so that I could have inspiration!

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own CCS and the song below. It was all from _Mr. Christian Bautista's_ debut album and the song title is called "I don't want to see you cry again". Perfect, huh... (To those **Filipino fanfickers/readers out there**: he hasn't releasing it yet to radios or even mtvs, but if you'd got the chance to buy his cd, it was worth all your bucks! Track no. 6, I say...)

Enjoy reading! and oh... this might be a pre-Valentine gift for all of you guys!

Surprising ending's in store!

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* * *

I Fell In Love with the Rain

**Chapter Eight: Last Song Syndrome**

**-**

"Now, what the heck was that!" Eriol hissed to Syaoran, who continuously taking a deep breath. He was gazing frantically to him. "Don't do that…" Eriol demanded. "Luckily, Tomoyo-chan was there"—he said, pointing Tomoyo in the distance, wanting to hear the conversation—"…spying for us—"

"Daidouji—" Syaoran snapped that made Tomoyo looked back on them. She was hiding in between dividers. "_—Onegai…_"

"Who said I'm spying, huh?" Tomoyo jeered constantly while pinching Eriol's cheek. "W-Well…" she continued, pinching him more. "Well I was attempting to." She glanced back on Syaoran. "—but if you insist, then I won't." half-smiling she said.

"OUCH!" shrieked Eriol, upon Tomoyo's withdrawal of hands to his cheeks. It was loud, roaring the house with his voice. "Don't worry Sakura-chan!" he yelled, looking at Syaoran who wasn't moving but sighing again. "Hot stuffs got in the way!"

-

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* * *

-

"Eh? N-Nani?"

"I said how are you feeling right now?"

"G-Gomen Nasai," Sakura scratched her head, still standing, almost heading towards the kitchen. The moment Eriol yelled he's alright; she was pulled back to her senses once again. "I… I'm fine. I was just thinking what they did on the kitchen. Seems we have prepared it all at once so…"

"Yukito grinned. "Daijoubu desu." he sat down, doing a cross leg. "I thought he'll stay for long. Naku-chan will."

"He must go to school too, you know." She sat opposite to him. "For sure, he will be going to have a hard time catching up…"

"Pretty certain." he said. In his mind he was seeing all new about her. Seems she was right in saying she'll be going to move on. "Looks like you're up into a new start?" he asked. "Can you tell?"

"You're mistaken!" Sakura laughed. She admit, she can't just mend all the broken pieces of their friendship all by herself until in a sudden she thought Yukito was doing the same, like connecting pasta lines on her again. _Not bad! _"It's a secret."

They both laughed. Yukito spoke again... "Something special? Or shall say _someone_?"

"Hmm…" Sakura hummed. "Watcha think?"

"Aww, total zero…" Yukito laughed in for more. "I'm glad I'm seeing you as sassy like old days. Hope to see for more!" he stood up, seeming running out of words. "Just keep on tracking me. I'm going."

Sakura stood up as well. "Won't you wait Onii-chan 'til he arrives?" she accompanied him back to the entrance.

"Iie, I'll just call him up. He never leaves his phone in here anyway, does he?" he asked that made Sakura nodded instantly. "Gotta go. Nice seeing you again! Arigato."

"Ja." Sakura guided him until to their porch. "Y-Yukito-san?"

He looked back. "Yes?"

She finally gave off her widest smile, gripping the edge of the oak door. "I have to… 'coz if I won't, definitely it wasn't _me_."

-

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* * *

-

Cold wind strained her eyes. Very cold… Almost lazily coming out from hibernation, after checking and hysterically shrieking late in her avid devoted alarm clock, Sakura got cramming up for the day's tormenting Music class. Not that she hated it so much, but after looking for which she thinks the best English piece for her in the internet for two consecutive weeks made her anxious even more.

Plus, she had forgotten to clean her unique form of transportation in going to school. Now almost running all by herself alone down the road, she gloomily thought she mustn't be dependent on her roller skates most of the time.

She was nearly in the gate of school when suddenly she smiled and started to walk cautiously. "Ooops…" she whispered to herself. "Careful, Sakura…"

When she arrived in their locker room to change her shoes, she dared to check first something squared thing in her bag—opened it and her eyes beamed, seeing it still on one piece.

"Nice… Good thing it didn't crash up."

-

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* * *

-

"Brrrrr! It's still cold!" Tomoyo began cracking in front of her friends who had gathered and formed a circle at the middle of their classroom. Like the usual, they were waiting for their Music teacher to arrive before the whole day of class ends. "I don't know if I'm going to be happy…"

"Me too." Rika said. "I lazily got up from bed a while ago… So good to start December, huh…"

Chiharu grumbled and seized Naoko's trembling hands. They were the only ones who were standing upon their warm conversation. "I wished it didn't come! I'm getting nervous lately with that Music thing!" Naoko sighed along with her.

"Good thing he hasn't still arriving yet. Good thing his class is scheduled last today. But still…" as Naoko groaned, all of them groaned as well.

"How about you, Sakura-chan?" Chiharu took hold of Sakura's shirt while asking her.

"…"

"Sa—ku—ra…"

"Hooeee! Wha-What was that again?"

"You're out of your mind, she said…" Tomoyo blinked in amusement. "Heading on something?"

"Boys are coming!" Rika snapped.

Sakura immediately turned her head and looked at the door. "Huh? Where?"

"Aww… Shoot!" Chiharu grinned foolishly. Just one girl classmate of theirs comes in. "So that's what it's all about. That's all about!"

"Tricking on her, huh?" Rika burst out laughing as well. "Why, looking for Yamazaki-kun?"

"Why look for that crazy Takashi, eh?" Chiharu's eyebrows met upon just hearing over their classmate's name.

"Nu-uh… you're both wrong." Tomoyo interjected, looking intently to Sakura's emerald eyes with deep meaning.

"If Tomoyo-san was right, I think she's pertaining to him." Naoko pointed someone coming from the door.

Chiharu chuckled. Men were one by one entering the room, filling it with noise. "Who? Ooohhh! You mean Aida-sensei?" she chuckled even more. "That's freaky!"

"You're making it freaky, yourself! No, the one next to him…!"

As they all looked in the class door, Sakura turned out tomato-skinned as squealed a little "Hoooeee, nooo!" that made all the girls giggled, mumbling almost all the teasing-stuffs they know just to make her paired up with Li Syaoran.

"What are you 'hooeeing' about, Ms. Kinomoto?" said Mr. Aida, half-smiling. "And what's freaky today, Ms. Mihara?" he added, now smiling fully.

The class were all back to their seats, as Syaoran was surprised seeing a mint-green colored box on top of his desk, with a note beside it.

"J-Just open it t-the… t-the moment you got home… w-will you?" said Sakura, who was hasn't turned her back and talked to him that much.

"Oh… okay—"

"J-Just be careful! A-Ano… It's fragile." she mumbled again, but now her face half-seen by him, staring at the floor. Strands of her long auburn hair were down swaying, making her look lovelier.

"Huh… O-Okay. Well, Arig—"

"Were you guys listening over there?"

"S-Sensei…!" Syaoran snapped; his amber eyes widened, mixed with a little fear. More Oohs were heard in every part of the room, making them both blushed more. "I—"

"You heard him?" Mr. Aida beamed to all the class at once. "He had saved your lives. Mr. Amawa, you're next. Come here, heartthrob." The class were laughing and hooting as Syaoran stood up shyly and was about to move in front.

"Hey..." Mr. Aida smiled. "Bring that along." he said, pointing to his guitar.

"Tomoyo-chan…" Sakura whispered. "I'm confused."

"Huh?" Tomoyo looked puzzled as well. "Weren't you happy? He said all the girls will just begin by next week. It's all for boys for now. And, whoever volunteers first will be given plus points. And then the rest will be called in random after that." Tomoyo said. "In Li-kun's case, he'll be working this out easily, you'll see…"

Syaoran was all ready to begin; he sat on the teacher's chair, his hands positioned in his guitar.

"Tell first where did you get your song and a little info on what is it all about." his teacher ordered him.

"Um…" he cleared his throat. "This was actually my current favorite piece, sang by a young _Filipino balladeer_ that had popularized one of the biggest hits in Asia today."

"_Christian Bautista_, I guess? I see… Start."

He was about to start plucking the first note when he's interrupted again by his teacher. "Oh, by the way, don't you have any testimonials—or any dedications to make?"

One guy shouted. "Yay! That'll definitely for meee!" All of the class laughed.

"Man, we didn't know you can sing too!"

"Stop it, buddy! He hasn't started anything yet"

"Kawaii Li-sama! Do your best!" A bunch of his girl classmates who swoon over him cheered.

"Hmm… any objections?" Mr. Aida asked.

"…A-Ano… If… if for a while ago I was interrupted, now, I am repeating it again. I w-wanted to say…"

All eyes were looking up to him, but he was gazing only to one pair of eyes he barely known all his life.

"Arigato…"

Sakura's heartbeat ran fast as he started to strum the intro of his song. She didn't know; Tomoyo smiled at herself, knowing all along Syaoran's song was all dedicated for her.

He began singing the first line with all emotion.

_I don't want to see you cry again…_

Sakura's eyes widened, as if those words were all meant for her…

'_Missed the pot of gold at rainbows end_

_Cease the day you try to fly… and fall_

_I just want to see you standing tall_

_I don't want to see you cry once more_

_Careful of the world by shutting doors_

_Not a bit affected by the crowd_

_I only want to see you standing proud_

_-_

_Tell me where it hurts…_

_And I will ease your pain…_

_Through the stormy hurl_

_I'll shield you from the rain_

_Gonna find what's wrong_

_I'm gonna make it right_

_Hoping with my song_

_There'll be no need to cry…_

Almost all girls were giggling on him, seeing him jam along with his melodic chords. He was really indeed a great _singer_. No one doubts to that. It's like he uttered lines with whole passion, and sincerity, making almost the whole class turn silent and just admire him for this newly discovered talent. As if she was only left in the other world, Sakura was still feeling the drumming of her heart, trying to be calm as possible. Her jaw's like draped; as her emerald eyes gone unclear still on his next words.

_And though you've shed a thousand tears before_

_I don't want to see you cry once more_

_And though it's been a while since your last grin_

_I just want to see you smile… again_

_Together dreaming dreams of a brighter tomorrow_

_With hopes from day to day, rid ourselves from the sorrow_

_We'll make this world a better place to live_

_I don't want to see you cry again._

To her ultimate surprise, his eyes met hers, contacting her soulfully. She smiled, to her full contentment.

He smiled back.

-

-

-

"_He even hugged me… I was so surprised. I never wonder why Meilin falls for someone like him."_

"_Tell me… were you also feeling like you were never wondering about?"_

"_What are you talking about!"_

"_Li-kun wasn't bad all along!"_

"_Yeah, I know…! Demo—"_

"_Sakura-chan… Sometimes you got to hear your heart too. No one speaks clearly except your heart."_

_"Are you... Are you crazy? Syaoran-kun and I were just friends!"_

_"Hah... Like I am a couch potato… or a movie addict… or a—"_

_"Tomoyo-chan!"_

_"Why do you always keep on denying to yourself?"_

_"There's nothing to deny about!"_

_"You can say that again..."_

_"Listen. It was never hid to you Syaoran and I were like cats and dogs before; competing to almost all aspects of everything! Say, do you want to have a rival all your life? Yes, I admit at first I came surprised seeing him change the way he treats me, but do I really need to think of that? What matters is that we are friends now. We helped one another and we share the good things in us. What matters is today. Get it?"_

_"Don't give that stare... What's that for?"_

_"Are you done, Miss Kinomoto?"_

_"Tomoyo-chan!"_

_"Haha... hahaha! Just tell me you feel like you're never wondering about..."_

_"I'm not! And don't you dare laugh! It was... I-I... I'm not happy."_

_"Why? Sakura-chan, don't you ever think why did you guys become that so close?"_

_"I-I don't know... It's not important anymore..."_

_"Yeah… right…"_

_"S-Stop it, will you?"_

_"Why are you becoming so defensive?"_

_"I said I'm not!"_

_"Tell me, how does it feel being hugged by him...?" _

_"Want me to poke you and get shaken up?"_

_"Oooh... That's serious!"_

"_You… y-you wanna know?"_

"_Why, you gonna tell?"_

_"It…I-It wasn't bad all along. He… He… did have a warm body though… Now, picture it right."_

"_You've said it!"_

_-_

_-

* * *

_

_- _

Alone, she stared at the dull sun, thinking of what Tomoyo and she had talked about. Sakura stood still, gripping both the strap of her backpack in her shoulders, feeling every moment of silence. Reminding the thoughts of staying alive, she smiled softly, like she would never been doing it anymore.

Almost hugging herself in the cold, she noticed something coming down from the sky. Tiny fellow companions were there to freeze her more but she doesn't care. She held a few of it, not enough she even raised her head up feeling crazy to welcome another season of the year… another season of her life…

"I knew it… I knew it will _snow_ today…"

-

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* * *

-

_Syaoran-kun,_

_I didn't know what made me brought this one; there hasn't anything green on it! Tomoyo said you like color green… Can you tell?_

He smiled and then imagined again her pretty emerald eyes asking like 'why'. He continued reading for more.

_Still, when I saw it, you are the first who came out from my head… Adjusting to a cold place like this took you a long time, didn't you? Okay I admit, it was really meant for you… You've been so kind to me and I wanted to thank you for that. I hope this would help, I know this didn't actually worth all the things you've done for me, but if you have problems, just say it and I'll do the best way I can. Take care._

_Sakura_

_P. S._

_Look outside! It's another surprise from Kami-sama!_

Parting the curtain from his unit, feather-like things were descending from heaven, making him feel his heart was like revolving or something. Snow falls lightly, showering Tomoeda constantly.

Syaoran gazed back to the note he was reading a while ago and the _snow globe_ Sakura gave to him. He smiled, for he thought he missed it in store for he had known somebody had bought it already. He shook it, stared it again and then finally concluded to himself why bother look outside if he was holding a similar image of it in his hands.

-

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* * *

-

Changing the slouched position of hers, Sakura decided to leave the marks she had on the bay walk.

"_We'll make this world a better place to live_… _I don't want to see you cry again…"_

Though it was been more than thrice she had been repeating it she was still humming those lines made her go into admitting to the fact she can never continuously deny her feelings forever. She wasn't sure all her life: her dreams, her hopes, even her late mother's existence… She mostly doubted on everything nowadays. She's confused.

Now walking home, along with the snow, she was too, gradually falling into something… or _someone_… Maybe Yukito's right… No more for denials...

She is falling for Syaoran.

-

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* * *

the end for now...

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I did it! whoa! what do you think will happen next? seems that I'm going to update this very soon! thanks! and please review more! i need **REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! REVIEWS! **


	10. Happy New You

Hi there! it has been a month since i have updated! im so sorry! I was really late with their time and setting, see? but still, i want to know your comments, painful or not! ive got so many things to do in school. Fine, you could yell at me and say "hell! that's more important to you!"

well? that's the truth! (winks!)

Anyway, thanks so much to my previous reviewers! you really gave me inspiration to still go on with this.

I dedicate this fic to my two friends who'll be celebrating their birthdays at the same date! take care guys...

Happy Reading! Another surprise ending! (i always like surprises!)

* * *

I Fell In Love with the Rain

**Chapter Nine: Happy New You**

After she had found the suspected spot, Sakura let out first a heavy sigh upon looking those scattered clothing of her best friend's doomed room before she bent her knees and decided to clean up Tomoyo's mess.

"You're not excited for tomorrow's event, are you?"

"Nope!" Tomoyo foolishly grinned, facing the mirror. "What's wrong with welcoming another year, anyway?"

"Amen to that." she snorted as she picked up one by one different kinds of yukata. "And if I am your friendly mirror over there, I would swallow you up and imprison you inside of me forever!"

"You wish!" Tomoyo threw a white top on her but Sakura instantly got the quickest way to avoid and catch it. After that, Tomoyo tried posing again another sky blue yukata dress and faced her. "What do you think?"

"Well…" Sakura conferred a wide smile as she pointed clearly the dress Tomoyo was holding. "Of all the clothes you've tried, that one fits you the best! Actually all of those weren't bad, you know."

"Arigato." Tomoyo moved out from being beside the mirror and managed to sit in the nearest chair she had seen for a while. "I simply wanted to wear the one you chose for me last year, but still Oka-san was always there to contradict my style and my taste of clothing!"

"Just be glad…" Sakura said. "…be glad you still have Aunt Sonomi at your side."

"Oh!" Tomoyo ended clasping her mouth, just by the thought of Sakura's late mother and her mother being the best of friends and cousins as well. She felt a sudden guilt, opening up such matters like this. "I-I didn't mean to…" she trembled as she doesn't mind crossing the aisle of spread out garments as she came closer to Sakura and held her hands tightly. "Gomen Nasai!"

"Nande?" Sakura held instead her face and smiled once more. "That's ok. Worry nothing, and why should you be?"

"Because if only Aunt Nadeshiko was still alive, you would also know exactly how it feels being loved by a mother."

"I always feel her love, Tomoyo-chan." Sakura clarified, as she stood up and approached the window. She could see from there rapid flowing of snow from the sky. She felt an immediate shivering. "Besides—" she faced Tomoyo again who was still kneeling on the floor full of clothes. "—Ottou-san and Touya were there to let me feel her unconditional love more."

"Right." Tomoyo smiled as slowly she stood up as well.

"Better." Sakura smiled back. Besides her family, Tomoyo was there to lighten up each day of her life… her friends… Syaoran…

_Syaoran-kun? Yeah, he's one of my friends too! Demo… Aww, forget it! He doesn't think that way like what you... y-you… _Sakura miserably shook her head as she stared into the distance. Days have passed and still, realizations were still hanged up in the air, waiting for a final consultation from someone she knew she could help her analyze this strange feeling she had just discovered inside her. _Maybe Tomoyo-chan could help me out, but… should I tell? She might laugh at me and tell me I've eaten all the words I've said before!_ She thought frantically as she stared Tomoyo's back. _Should I tell? S-Should I really tell! Oh no…_

"Ano… T-To… T-Tomoyo-chan?"

"Hm, Nani?" Tomoyo looked back, seemed astounded. "Oh… OH!"

"I've got something to tell!" they both said in unison. They laughed.

"You… you go first. It's okay." Sakura came in first.

Tomoyo took air first before she spoke back. "Have you decided what yukata you're going to wear?"

"Hai." Sakura replied. "I settled myself to wear my old yukata I wore last year!" her eyes crinkled in excitement. "It's my favorite. Doshite?"

"Iie! Iie!" Tomoyo shouted a little as she ran into her closet, leaving Sakura in her puzzled look. "Damn… where the hell is it?" she mumbled as half of her body was already buried in a tower of her own garments.

"Tomoyo-chan…" Still looking, Sakura came down and just decided to pick up again other stuff lying on the floor, fold it again in place than finding the courage to ask her personal opinion.

"AH! Here it is!"

"Hoe?"

"Sakura-chan, you gotta try this one!" Tomoyo beamed on her. "Err… no! You're not only just trying it, it's yours!"

"For me? Demo—"

"No buts!"

"Tomoyo-chan—"

"I've designed this all just for you!" Tomoyo pulled her close in front of the mirror and kicked unnecessary things that made them move uncomfortably. She let her hold it and pose a bright red-colored yukata with pink sakura petal designs on almost half of its hemline. "See? You're lovelier than I'm not expecting you to be wearing with this one!"

"Ano… A-Arigato Gozaimasu!" Sakura muttered, almost contacting Tomoyo in the eye. "I-I don't know what to say! Who do you think you are?" she grinned. "My fairy godmother?"

"Partly indeed!" chuckling, Tomoyo hugged her back as they both smiled facing their reflection in the mirror. "And besides, who would have known we're secretly cousins after all too?"

* * *

-

Three loud hesitant knocks disturbed them. Before Tomoyo could allow the person to enter, the figure stepped in and walked hurriedly into them.

"LI-KUN!" Tomoyo shrieked as she broke off hugging Sakura. Instantly they both rushed to meet him. "Omigosh, w-we almost forget all about you!" Tomoyo feared as she held his hands. "I'm sorry to come up and see all this mess around!"

"It's okay but—" Syaoran's face seemed uneasy as he both looked at their faces and then gazed at the four-cornered room. "—but I-I…"

"Why, A-Anone, A-Are you hungry already? Tomoyo asked and looked back to Sakura for she had just noticed she had touched her stomach. Sakura lightly grinned and scratched her head. "Looks like our friend here hadn't taken yet any cup of tea."

"Iie, it's not that!" he said, almost raising his voice.

"Then what's the matter?"

"I must leave…!" Syaoran finally said then turned back at them and was about to hold the doorknob until they have heard a female voice yelling his name, and Tomoyo's…

"S-Something wrong happened?" Sakura fretfully asked her companions in confusion.

"I heard that voice before… I knew it much… I won't be mistaken…" Tomoyo hurriedly said, almost holding Sakura's arm in thinking so hard.

"You won't be mistaken, Daidouji… Never! Oh no…" Syaoran hurriedly said as he tripped the room, not minding all the clothes he passed by. Then he stopped at Sakura's back, held her shoulders and positioned her to cover him up. "S-Save me…"

"Ho… H-Hoe?"

Another two voices that Tomoyo suspected were her maids were ceasing a very familiar tone to enter her room. Tomoyo ran into the door but it bursts open to show somebody heading and meeting her bewildered eyes.

"DAIDOUJI-SAN!"

"Aaaaaahhh!" Tomoyo blinked twice, and in the next seconds shrieking in surprise as she welcomed the lady with her warm embrace. They jumped in unusual excitement. "Long time no see, my friend! I missed you!"

"I missed you too!" The girl replied as she held tightly her hands and laughed hysterically. "I heard from _Wei_ that _he's_ here!" Then she gazed at two remaining people left for her greetings. "Oh! Kinomoto! No…! b-but… YES! It's… IT'S YOU KINOMOTO-SAN!"

"W-Whoa…! HOOOEEE!" Sakura yelled as she stood still, looking very astonished.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" delightfully the young lady rushed towards into Sakura's position, not only to hug her, but also the one behind her, the one whom she had terribly missed for so long. She hugged him—in excessive force. Surprisingly they stumbled into Tomoyo's mountain of clothes.

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh! XIAO LAAANG!"

"Man…" Syaoran mumbled in regret. "…my lucky day…."

"_Cousin_ matters…" Tomoyo grinned as she approached Sakura in time.

"Don't you missed me, you fool!"

* * *

- 

"I'm home…" Sakura lamely said upon twisting the doorknob of their main door. Few snowflakes came in, causing her to forcefully push the door at once. She removed her boots, hanged her coat in place and to the unexpected, she was caught doing all this by somebody who cares and annoys her at the same time.

"At last… the cause of earth's destruction's here… goodness!" Touya emoted as he tapped his head lightly and then placed both his hands on his waist. "Yuki-san and I were already starving! You know… waiting for you."

"Yukito-san… he's here." She mumbled softly as she put on her slippers and picked up the paper bag where her yukata was placed. "Good."

"Huh?" his face looked puzzled, Touya followed her direction. "C'mon kaijuu, we've got an early dinner tonight."

Just when Touya utter those words enters Yukito whose body was half to be seen, almost hiding on the wall. "Konbanwa!"

Her foot touched the first step of the staircase as she faced Yukito. "Oh… hello."

Puzzled, Touya was about to held her head but Sakura started to spoke again.

"Don't think of anything, ne? I'm just tired… Could I pass on this one?" softly she said as she took more steps on the staircase. "Brother, call Ottou-san not to fetch me anymore at the Daidouji Mansion for me…"

"O-Okay—"

"Yukito-san… Don't worry; I'll come tomorrow at the shrine for the New Year's Eve. Could we invite _another one_?"

"S-Sure. It's good many people would come. Also,—"

"Great. I gotta go now to rest, if you guys don't mind…" ended on these words, she totally went upstairs and quietly closed her door. Two men who were left on the scene were staring each other, analyzing all the swift shifting of events.

"Boy, I didn't know you came to be as her servant lately…" Yukito murmured as he stared the marks Sakura left.

"No way." Touya left Yukito who was a bit grinning, as he was heading to the dining table. "Maybe all of a sudden she realizes a kaijuu's blood was running upon her nerves! Hahaha!" he faked out a laugh with that thinking.

"Nah, you're just envious!" Yukito moved in as well and punched Touya's back. "You still manage to joke around seeing her like that!" he grinned. "Don't you ever think why suddenly she changes her mood?"

"Didn't you hear her?" Touya irritatingly said as they reached the dining table and sat at their respective seats. "She said she mustn't think on her that way."

Yukito grabbed the platter full of rice and got for his own. "Too bad I haven't told her that Kaho's coming for tomorrow. What's up with her?"

"I don't know, Yukito." Touya weakly said upon looking at the vacant place Sakura was supposed to be sitting. He let out a heavy sigh.

"I really don't know…"

* * *

- 

She let herself be thrown in the bed, her arm hid her eyes that cause her to see an instant darkness and then in a while removed it and just stared the ceiling for a long time.

Exhaling deep breath, she gazed more at her heavenly bodied stickers that glows in the dark at night. "I should be happy seeing her again but why I am like this?" she whispered as she spread out her arms wide, feeling the soft mattress of her bed.

Sakura rolled side by side until she grabbed one of her pillows and squeezed it close to her body. Then she took a lift on herself, approached at the window sill, and gaped at the snow, that was flurrying the town with its pale hue.

Her eyes blurred as she rested her face on the pillow; shivering or eyes strained because of cold, she doesn't know… or maybe for another reason.

"Am I hurting?"

* * *

"_But Xiao Lang, I—"_

"_You should've told me!" Syaoran protested in front of Meiling, his amber eyes like questioning her in a mixture of irritation and nervousness. "Say, what are you going to do if something bad happens to you!"_

_Meiling stood up; faced him and yelled out as if like a child. "Like I never have gone to Japan before!" her hands widened, feeling the air done by the heater of the room. "I'm not a kid anymore!"_

"_Who said it, anyway!" Syaoran walked back but Meiling grumbled even more._

"_Ditto…!" Meiling gestured like she really got up on her nerves. "Then why are you babbling things at me!"_

"_If you'd call me, I could've fetched you!"_

"_It's not the first time I've done this! Why are you hiding at Kinomoto's back the moment I saw you, anyway?"_

"_Don't change the topic! So you're not impeding 'til you learn a lesson!"_

_Tomoyo interjected, singing a _'Dido line'_ like she never did before. "_Tea's gone cold I'm wondering why… _Aww, you two, will you guys stop for a while?"_

_The two looked at Tomoyo like she shad given an unjustified statement. "SHE/HE STARTED IT!" and then continued tattling at each other's heads once again._

"_I could've kick them out of this house… _my house_, don't you think?" resting her back at the couch, Tomoyo calmly explained to Sakura, who was then sipping her own tea as well. "But since they were my friends, I even offered them a tea!"_

"_Tell me Tomoyo-chan, you're just kidding." Sakura said, half-smiling as she gazed back at her friends, still quarreling._

"_Of course I am!" Tomoyo chuckled. "But I could still do that, somehow, if you just give me time to think of it."_

_Not minding hat Tomoyo had just gagged, Sakura was still looking intently to Syaoran and then to Meiling, and thought what it feels like crashing at the scene, just to be their peacemaker._

_Still…_

"_Maybe you left Hong Kong without telling your mom and the others!"_

"_Great. You're generalizing me already without asking why…"_

"_Meiling—"_

"_T-They sent me here! In fact—"_

"_Aren't you tired telling lies!"_

"_IT'S NOT THAT!" Meiling shouted, almost running out of breath. Sakura and Tomoyo felt like they were jumping out of their seats. They stared still. "THAT'S IT!" Meiling madly said, staring at his cousin's eyes with rage. "THIS IS ENOUGH!"_

_They stared at each other for a long time but Meiling got the first to break it. "You do much talking already. Why don't you go straight me to the point and blow me hard back to where I was!"_

_Syaoran stopped, and then a struck of guilt sketched all over his face. "M-Meiling… I-I—"_

"_F-Fine then… I'll…" Meiling croaked, and then her shoulders stared to shake she doesn't want to be seen by everybody. She was heading closer to the door. "…call them up right now to tell I'll be coming back."_

"_I'm sorry."_

_Meiling stopped instantly after hearing his words and faced all of them, plastering her face with ugly stains of her tears. "I just…"_

"_I said I'm sorry…"_

"_I-I J-JUST WANTED TO BE WITH MY FRIENDS THIS NEW YEAR'S EVE FOR THE FIRST TIME!" In the third hiccup, Meiling spoke again, but now in a soft manner. "Is that… to much to ask…?"_

_On the other side of the room there's Sakura, who was maintaining to hold her cup, looked down and stared the remaining amount of tea to gulp. _She hasn't change for the least… She still does crying most of the time. _She thought upon seeing her yelling at the other one._

Like me…

_In a sudden, she was like pulled back to her senses again when she heard Meiling yelled: "YOU WERE SO BUSY WITH YOUR SCHOOL, AND JUST FORGET ME LIKE I NEVER EXISTED! KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS!_

"_I-I JUST WANTED TO SURPRISE YOU BECAUSE I MISSED YOU, YOU STUPID!"_

"_I know!" Syaoran came closer to her and wipe her tears dry. "…and I'm sorry, alright?"_

"_Xiao Lang—"_

"_I just got worried! You can't erase that word in my head! Sometimes think first who's got to be scolded, okay? You aren't used to this cold weather, right? You know, they might kill me if something terrible happens to you—"_

"_B-But like I said I… I-I…" Meiling gave in for another sobbing and hugged him. "XIAO LAAANG! I'm sorry if I'd done so much trouble on you all those past years!"_

_He rubbed her back and smiled. "That's alright… But next time do what I said." He smiled again. "I'll just pretend I came so surprised."_

_Meilin broke off and hardly she punched his chest, making him to moan in pain. "You really are a fool!" and they laughed like crazy._

"_Owari… Owari…!" Tomoyo hummed loudly that made the two looked up to them and laughed once again._

_Sakura watched them laughing as they went closer to their place. She bequeath a wide smile, did her best for it, but in a very while it was gone. Her eyes could tell the sadness she suddenly felt. She was partly glad, for she wasn't needed anymore, but in the other side of her has a twinge of envy towards Meiling she doesn't know why._

_-_

_-

* * *

-_

_POP! POP! BANG! POP! POP! POP! BANG! POP!_

Loud effervescent fireworks cracking into the air, as flocking of people from all sorts of the place were gathering in one special event: The New Year's Eve Celebration at the Tsukimine Shrine.

"Having fun?" Yukito asked Sakura and Tomoyo loud in the middle of the blissful crowd.

"Hai! Lots of it!" Sakura grinned, secretly clutching Tomoyo's waist seeing her off guard.

"Yee—yes!" Tomoyo added, quite in late reaction.

"Good!" Yukito said. "I heard those bunch of guys brought nice fireworks for the countdown!" He said excitingly as she pointed few men who were laughing at the liquor booth. "See you around!"

"Yeah! Enjoy yourself too!" Sakura finally yelled to his body that waved at them until he was eaten by the crowd.

Tomoyo moaned in jealousy seeing few couples together, playing at the amusement booths. "Girl… I wish Eriol-kun was here too!"

"Let him pass on this one." Sakura placed her arms to her shoulders and smiled. "What would you be without me?"

"Aww…" Tomoyo chuckled, and pinched her cheeks. "How sweet… We might be flooded by ants!"

As they were laughing so hard, they heard their names be called by a familiar voice.

"Meiling-chan!"

"Glad you came!" grinning; Sakura held her hands and admired her fascinating entrance. "Nice outfit!"

"Thanks! She gave this to me!" Meiling said, referring the 'she' to Tomoyo, who was smiling unconditionally to them. "Did she make that one too?"

"Hai."

"Cool! Sort of a New Year's present, huh?"

"Certainly." They both giggled in delight until Sakura noticed another familiar figure approaching.

Astoundingly, her cheeks gone crimson. "Konbanwa, Syaoran-kun…!" She was seeing clearly he was wearing an off-blue yukata, perfectly fitted in his body with a black robe.

"K-Konbanwa…" Syaoran replied, smiling. "Guess who I had seen…"

Another figure walked into their place. She startled, for she thought the woman from the moment she had arrived from Japan for over a month ago, won't be showing up to her. Wide smile was slowly creeping on her lips, as she welcomed this old figure: her friend… her former teacher.

"Kaho-dono!"

* * *

- 

"_Ogenki desu ka?_"

"I-I'm fine, Ma'am… Arigato."

"Good."

She wanted to talk to her to a more private place, so she invited Kaho to a certain place of the shrine she loved the most, where in there was a lake that was near to be seen, as the moon's reflection was glimmering on it.

They sat on one of the huge stones intended to build really for sitting. "I thought I won't see you again!"

"Me too. Imagine I was already here for about a month and a half now!" She laughed at that thought. "Gomen Nasai…"

"It's alright!" Sakura instantly replied and then again started to stir unusual silence.

"Sakura-chan..?"

"Huh… H-Hmm?"

"I see you're into a big situation." Kaho said calmly. "Can you tell?"

"Oh, i-it's nothing!" Sakura said, quite hesitant to move. "I'm—"

"I always care for you a lot. You know that." Kaho gave her a prudent smile. "But then, are you sure?"

Sakura gazed at her eyes intently until hers came unclear and told herself this must be the only way to free her from all the feelings that mixed up in her heart. "I just… I don't know."

"My ears are yours…"

Kaho held her hand that was resting on her lap. Startled with what Kaho did, Sakura bent her head down and started to speak.

"I don't know, Kaho-dono… I'm confused. I'm confused with what I am feeling right now. All my life I adored Yukito-san until I reached the limit, he was totally out of my life… out of my system. I thought I wouldn't get over him, but I did…

"Those days, someone has helped me comprehend life wasn't just all about loving Yukito. Maybe I was just awakened by the fact that he won't love me like I wanted to… He won't love me like I do. Someone woke me up from my dream…

"I… I-I realized, that I-I… I…" Sakura said in an uneven tone until wet drops of her tears blotted her dress. "…All this time I thought I—" she said in between sobs "—I wouldn't see love to the person whom I thought I just see as my supportive friend!"

"Sakura…" Kaho muttered mildly, and massaged the hand she was holding for a long time. "Even if you don't say his name, I'm sure it's him."

"A-Ano…" Sakura blushed, seeming to be caught no words to say.

"Li Syaoran… that guy… I told myself before he would make girls cry over him…"

"Nani?" Sakura said, her eyes widened, and thought that 'before' her former teacher was telling was about five years ago now. "H-How come—"

"Say…" Kaho looked up on her. "Do you believe in chemistry?"

Her jaw's like hanged up. "A-Anone…"

"Well…" Kaho grinned. "I find you and him a perfect match before."

"You do?"

"Yap." She replied like she had been talking to her age as it sounded.

"W-Why… Anone… Kaho-dono… T-That was five years ago! W-We're just only twelve years old back then!"

"Exactly."

"D-Demo, how come you're up to that conclusion?"

"I don't know." Kaho said. "I told myself; maybe someday I would find a hint on you seeing him on another side. I wasn't wrong after all…"

Sakura didn't speak, instead she just took a deep breath and heard more of Kaho's…

"Maybe too much doubt filled your heart, seeing Meiling at his side again."

"I don't know!" Sakura mumbled, almost raising her voice in disagreement.

"You got to admit it. That's the only way. Tell me, are you jealous?"

"…"

"That's natural. You may still have that same old features you've shown me, but in the inside, I see you now as a new person."

"Kaho-dono…"

"You're growing up, see?" Kaho wrapped around her arms to her shoulders. "Finally…"

"You think so?"

"Uhuh…" she replied. "You do cry most of the time, but not because the wounds when you are falling down to a cliff or something. You're one great girl, Sakura… and he deserves being wept by someone like you."

Sakura laughed weakly, and then leaned her head to her chest. "I'm always the kaijuu… maybe Onii-chan was right."

_POP! BANG! POP! POP! POP! BANG! POP! POP!_

Vibrant colors of fireworks started to crack again, illuminating more the sky along with the hanging lamps that served as a way back to the main place of the shrine. Loud music of percussions started to awaken almost the entire crowd's blood, especially them.

"Then prove to your brother you aren't worthy to be called like that!" Kaho continued, and stood up.

"I will." Sakura grinned, and stood up as well. She broke off into the holding of her hands. "I'll stay here."

"Okay. But make sure you'll come up before the countdown starts!"

"Hai. Happy New Year!"

Kaho then gradually hugged her tightly and stared at her emerald eyes once more, much to Sakura's surprise.

"No Sakura…" Kaho corrected.

"…?"

"Happy New _You_."

* * *

- 

Cold wind once again wisped her auburn hair as she went down to see the whole lake all by herself. Sakura bent her knees, stared at the reflection done by the moon and the colorful fireworks that was continuously popping elsewhere.

_Maybe the countdown was over. At last it's year twenty o' five…_

She sat still, until he noticed a white thing that was slowly creeping in the water, along with her reflection. She looked at it so intently until another figure emerged from it. She turned back.

"S-Sakura-c-chan…"

"S-Syaoran-kun!" Sakura shrieked, her eyes widened. "God, you scared me!"

"I'm sorry!" he said.

He felt his heart stopped beating, the time stopped moving as he was staring the girl he loved glistering along with the light of the moon above them.

She felt her heart jumped in unexplainable fear, or excitement, or in happiness she doesn't know, as she gazed deeply at the young man she loved in front of her, holding a…

"I-I wanted to give you this…" Syaoran mumbled, as he showed her more the string of white balloon.

"F-For me?"

"Hai. Take my hand so I could help you stand up." he offered her his free hand to stand up. Sakura got it, and as she stood up, she has quite lost balance, until she was seeing herself almost two inch closer to him… to his face. They stared at each other's eyes. She did smell his nice scent too. More fireworks' reflection was glimmering in that big area of water.

"H-Here." Syaoran handed her the string of balloon.

"A-Arigato."

_4!_

_3!_

_2!_

_1!_

Syaoran smiled widely to her, contacting her still on the eye. "Happy New Year!"

"H-Happy New—" Sakura said; broking off into the staring. "—Year."

"C'mon," Syaoran said, pulled her; wasn't removing his hand form hers. "They're waiting for us!"

"O-Okay!" Sakura agreed as she didn't object being held by him.

_No Sakura… Happy New You._

Thinking of the last words Kaho Mizuki had told her, Sakura willingly gave in a wide smile upon staring at the white balloon she was holding, Syaoran's back, their hands, and until they stopped and rose their heads up to stare first for a while the sky that was brightened by she thought an endless cracking of fireworks.

_Yes… Happy New _Me.

* * *

pop! end for now!

say, you liked it? man... i dunno what you guys are thinking, so please review! thanks so much!

tohughtbubbles .3


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